Leaked Sapphire Rx480 Nitro and reference pics *update: confirmed*

[Notional]

Videocardz (and a user) have leaked pictures of Sapphire's new Rx480 cards.

 

First one is the reference card, we already know. Sapphire has added their own backplate:

 

 

And for the main event, Sapphire's Nitro variant in a completely new (and minimalistic) design:

 

 

According to Videocardz, the Rx480 should hit stores by the 29th of June, and reviewers should already have their hands on the card.

Quote

Most Radeon RX 480 cards that will be released on June 29th will be equipped with 8GB GDDR5 memory. 4GB models are also expected, but availability of such cards will depend on AIBs.

 

The Rx480 should be priced around 199$ for the 4GB reference model, and 229-249$ for the reference 8GB version.

 

As tradition states, @LinusTech has to drop the card (like he did with the FuryX, that broke). Since Linus didn't have access to the card before, he had to take "measures":

 

Sources: http://videocardz.com/60992/sapphire-radeon-rx-480-nitro-pictured (article)

http://www.hwbattle.com/bbs/board.php?bo_table=hardwareboard&wr_id=14816&ckattempt=1 (reference picture)

 

---

Update:

During the tech show, Tech Gaming Weekly with Joker from Joker Productions and techyescity, Sapphire Ed as a guest showed off the new cooler of the Sapphire Rx480 custom cooler. Yes it's the same as the leak, but just looks a lot nicer in black:

 

 

 

As stated by AMD, the pin set for DVI is left on the PCB's, so the GPU itself does support DVI. Sapphire decided to include DVI on their custom card, which can be spotted above.

I don't know why though, as this makes it impossible to do a single slot water cooled setup, and a simple displayport to dvi adapter is cheap to make and include (as it is on some of the reference Rx480's).

 

I honestly think the card looks really nice in black, and reminds me of the 700 series EVGA coolers, that was sweet af.

 

Update:

 

Sapphire's nitro comes with replaceable fans similar to server setups:

 

Source: 

 

[kelvindeschutter]

oh god this card is ugly. i like the old color pallet more. (i could always paint it tho)

[Dackzy]

better than any 1080 in looks so far.

[rowanhazard]

2 minutes ago, kelvindeschutter said:

oh god this card is ugly. i like the old design more.

ikr it looks really old

[captain cactus]

Looks cool.

[Kaita]

Why Sapphire ... why ...

[hex4]

I think it looks sexy, you guys need to get better taste in women  GPU's.

[don_svetlio]

Really like the blower minimalistic design. Definitely like it more than the new Nvidia blowers

[The Benjamins]

The back plate looks interesting. the nitro cool is a bit to simple for my taste.

[TheRandomness]

Ofc they don't show the power connectors.

Ofc they don't change the power connectors (8 pin pls.)

[kelvindeschutter]

1 minute ago, rowanhazard said:

ikr it looks really old

updated my original post so that its made clear that i hate the color they have chosen

[rowanhazard]

1 minute ago, kelvindeschutter said:

updated my original post so that its made clear that i hate the color they have chosen

Ok, and I'm saying it looks old. 

[WereCat]

2 minutes ago, TheRandomness said:

Ofc they don't show the power connectors.

1X 6-pin most likely. And it will also be enough most likely.

[TheRandomness]

1 minute ago, WereCat said:

1X 6-pin most likely. And it will also be enough most likely.

I edited the post.

[Energycore]

I have such a niche problem with the Nitro and many other "gaming edition" cards, those PCB-taller-than-expansion-slot designs don't fit into my case. I literally have 10mm clearance over the expansion slots.

[SteveGrabowski0]

All the cards look ugly AF this generation. Why would Sapphire change this, which looked amazing?

 

[Trixanity]

3 minutes ago, TheRandomness said:

Ofc they don't show the power connectors.

Ofc they don't change the power connectors (8 pin pls.)

From what I can see, the Nitro doesn't have the power connector showing, so it could very well be an 8-pin (probably not... yet).

The first picture is their reference design (unless I've completely misread the whole post).

[DarkBlade2117]

4 minutes ago, TheRandomness said:

Ofc they don't show the power connectors.

Ofc they don't change the power connectors (8 pin pls.)

8 pin vs 6 pin from my understanding is just two extra ground, no additional power is given to the card.

[byalexandr]

NO SAPPHIRE! Why?!

[Notional]

3 minutes ago, Energycore said:

I have such a niche problem with the Nitro and many other "gaming edition" cards, those PCB-taller-than-expansion-slot designs don't fit into my case. I literally have 10mm clearance over the expansion slots.

Yeah I imagine it will be a close one with the NCase too, but the Dancase seems to fit. Mostly it's down to the power connector though.

 

6 minutes ago, TheRandomness said:

Ofc they don't show the power connectors.

Ofc they don't change the power connectors (8 pin pls.)

I don't see a need for it. When even the 1080 don't actually need it, unless you want to do LN2 OC, I doubt a card at a lower segment needs it. This should be an under 150w tdp card.

[Trixanity]

3 minutes ago, DarkBlade2117 said:

8 pin vs 6 pin from my understanding is just two extra ground, no additional power is given to the card.

6 pin = 75W. 8 pin = 150W. Massive difference. Although I do believe you're correct that the two extra pins are just ground.

[Energycore]

1 minute ago, Notional said:

Yeah I imagine it will be a close one with the NCase too, but the Dancase seems to fit. Mostly it's down to the power connector though.

 

I don't see a need for it. When even the 1080 don't actually need it, unless you want to do LN2 OC, I doubt a card at a lower segment needs it. This should be an under 150w tdp card.

I remember a look at AMD's numbers on card efficiency vs the 1080 that suggested they'll pull 90-95W at full load. That's GTX 950 levels of power consumption, a single 6-pin should be fine although I'd like to pick up a model with a single 8-pin for the sake of aesthetics.

[TheRandomness]

9 minutes ago, Energycore said:

I have such a niche problem with the Nitro and many other "gaming edition" cards, those PCB-taller-than-expansion-slot designs don't fit into my case. I literally have 10mm clearance over the expansion slots.

Get a better case? c:

7 minutes ago, SteveGrabowski0 said:

All the cards look ugly AF this generation. Why would Sapphire change this, which looked amazing?

-snips-

The middle fan on mine rattles :<

6 minutes ago, DarkBlade2117 said:

8 pin vs 6 pin from my understanding is just two extra ground, no additional power is given to the card.

Pulled from <google>:

8(6+2) pin = 150W~

6 pin = 75W~

Yes I know these are old specs but it's only what I can find...

4 minutes ago, Notional said:

I don't see a need for it. When even the 1080 don't actually need it, unless you want to do LN2 OC, I doubt a card at a lower segment needs it. This should be an under 150w tdp card.

8 pin = More power + Binned chip = Better overclocking?

[Notional]

1 minute ago, TheRandomness said:

Pulled from <google>:

8(6+2) pin = 150W~

6 pin = 75W~

Yes I know these are old specs but it's only what I can find...

You need to factor in the PCIe connector's 75W too.

[Energycore]

2 minutes ago, TheRandomness said:

Get a better case? c:

You don't understand, man. This case and I have history!

 

I'll admit it was a pretty bad case. Then I moddded the shit out of it (not done yet, gonna punch a hole for a 240mm rad and a shroud on top).