A Look at the Radeon RX 480: A Shift in GPU Strategy

Hey guys, this is Austin. Say hello to the new Radeon RX 480. I've got to give a big shoutout to AMD for not only sponsoring this video but also for inviting me out to Macaufor tech day this year. The star of the show is the new RX 480. At $200, this promises serious performance for the price but it represents an interesting shift.

Now that GPUs are ready to take advantage of smaller process nodes, AMD has opted to focus on mid-range cards in the $100 to $200 price point. One of the ways they're doing that is with VR. But we knew that this Holodeck-like experience was on its way the minute the GPU got powerful enough to be able to render fully immersive, realistic scenes. The RX 480 is fully certified to work with both the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive which significantly brings down the cost of building a PC that can handle virtual reality.

So one of the things about virtual reality that's actually really important is keeping a steady frame rate. So when you're in the virtual world, this is all I can see right now, I look down, I see my fake body, I see this giant space station and it's immersive and something that is super easy to break the immersion if the performance isn't up to par. But the cool thing is that this is a completely identical experience to playing on a five, six, seven hundred dollar graphics card.

There's more to the 480 than just VR though. The GPU is capable of recording gameplay at up to 4K without hurting your performance unlike before where you would take a small but sometimes noticeable hit. This also applies to streaming with programs like OBS and it also can output 4K at up to 120 frames per second or even up to a 5K display using a single cable. While usually reference cards aren't as popular as more extreme coolers, I think the RX 480 looks pretty solid.

It has a dimpled finish up front with a surprisingly quiet fan toward the back. With a TDP of 150 watts it only needs a single 6-pin PCIe power cable and around back you'll find three DisplayPort 1.4 ready ports along with a single HDMI 2.0 to pump out some serious pixels. It also supports HDR displays which are hard to appreciate on a YouTube video but if you have a newer high-end TV it makes a noticeable difference. You can also put two together in CrossFire which is becoming more interesting with DirectX 12 multi-adapter and they also had an RX 480 set up at tech day with the Razer Core.

Connected to the Razer Blade Stealth over Thunderbolt 3, Battlefront was totally playable. Of course, the biggest question is how does the 480 actually perform? At launch there are four and eight gigabyte versions, I have the reference model with height gigs of memory but there will be non-reference models available a little later in the year.

I did all my testing inside the Neutron 3.0 which is an upcoming $750 build with the 480 along with a Core i5-6500, you guys can check out the full video for the rest of the specs. The first benchmark is the 3DMark Fire Strike test which gives us a solid baseline to start with.

Considering the GTX 970 is $100 more expensive it's nearly a tie where the $330 R9 390 is able to pull out a small lead. Getting into an actual game we have Grand Theft Auto 5 which can still be fairly taxing when you turn the resolution up. Running on Ultra settings, the RX 480 is right behind the 390 and narrowly outperforms the still powerful 970.

Middle Earth Shadow of Mordor is another solid title that the 480 does well in, still edging out the GTX 970 while delivering just under 60 frames per second at 1440p. Moving over to a DirectX 12 game in Ashes of the Singularity this plays well to AMD's DX12 strength with the 480 pulling away, especially when you compare it to the 285 which really struggles here.

It's pretty clear that the 480 has absolutely no problem with 1080p ultra gaming and even 1440p, let alone 4K. Speaking of, AMD was cool enough to hook me up with an extra 480 to giveaway to you guys. All you need to do is make sure you're subscribed to the channel and leave a comment down below and I will pick a winner in one month.

Sowhat do you guys think about the RX 480? Let me know in the comments below and I will catch you in the next one!

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enHey guys this is Austin. Say hello to thenew Radeon RX 480. I’ve got to give a bigshoutout to AMD for not only sponsoring thisvideo but also for inviting me out to Macaufor tech day this year. The star of the showis the new RX 480. At $200 this promises seriousperformance for the price but it representsan interesting shift. Now that GPUs are readyto take advantage of smaller process nodesAMD has opted to focus on mid range cardsin the $100 to $200 price point. One of theways they’re doing that is with VR. Butwe knew that this Holodeck like experiencewas on it’s way the minute the GPU got powerfulenough to be able to render you know, fullyimmersive, realistic scenes. The RX 480 isfully certified to work with both the OculusRift and HTC Vive which significantly bringsthe cost down on building a PC that can handlevirtual reality. So one of the things aboutvirtual reality that’s actually really importantis keeping a steady frame rate. So when you’rein the virtual world this is all I can seeright now, I look down I see my fake body,I see this giant space station and it’simmersive and something that is super easyto break the immersion is if the performanceis not up to par. But the cool thing is thisis a completely identical experience to playingon a five, six, seven hundred dollar graphicscard. There’s more to the 480 than justVR though. The GPU is capable of recordinggameplay at up to 4K without hurting yourperformance unlike before where you wouldtake a small but sometimes noticeable hit.This also applies to streaming with programslike OBS and it also can output 4K at up to120 frames per second or even up to a 5K displayusing a single cable. While usually referencecards aren’t as popular as more extremecoolers I think the RX 480 looks pretty solid.It has a dimpled finish up front with a singlesurprisingly quiet fan toward the back. Witha TDP of 150 watts it only needs a single6-pin PCIe power cable and around back you’llfind three DisplayPort 1.4 ready ports alongwith a single HDMI 2.0 to pump out some seriouspixels. It also supports HDR displays whichare hard to appreciate on a YouTube videobut if you have a newer high end TV it makesa noticeable difference. You can also puttwo together in CrossFire which is becomingmore interesting with DirectX 12 multi adapterand they also had an RX 480 set up at techday with the Razer Core. Connected to theRazer Blade Stealth over Thunderbolt 3 Battlefrontwas totally playable. Of course the biggestquestion is how does the 480 actually perform?At launch there are four and eight gigabyteversions, I have the reference model witheight gigs of memory but there will be nonreference models available a little laterin the year. I did all my testing inside theNeutron 3.0 which is an upcoming $750 buildwith the 480 along with a Core i5-6500, youguys can check out the full video for the restof the specs. The first benchmark is the 3DMarkFire Strike test which gives us a solid baselineto start with. Considering the GTX 970 is$100 more expensive it’s nearly a tie wherethe $330 R9 390 is able to pull out a smalllead. Getting into an actual game we haveGrand Theft Auto 5 which can still be fairlytaxing when you turn the resolution up. Runningon Ultra settings the RX 480 is right behindthe 390 and narrowly outperforms the stillpowerful 970. Middle Earth Shadow of Mordoris another solid title that the 480 does wellin, still edging out the GTX 970 while deliveringjust under 60 frames per second at 1440p.Moving over to a DirectX 12 game in Ashesof the Singularity this plays well to AMD’sDX12 strength with the 480 pulling away, especiallywhen you compare to the 285 which really struggleshere. It’s pretty clear than the 480 hasabsolutely no problem with 1080p ultra gamingand even 1440p is totally playable. But howabout 4K? It’s actually sort of doable.I tested the cards on 4K ultra settings andwhile only Shadow of Mordor is even closeto being playable if you turn down the settingsyou can make it work. The thing is, this isa $200 graphics card. It wasn’t long agothat 1080p at this price point was all youcould hope for but the RX 480 can easily handle1440p and beyond along with virtual reality.Speaking of, AMD was cool enough to hook meup with an extra 480 to giveaway to you guys.All you need to do is make sure you’re subscribedto the channel and leave a comment down belowand I will pick a winner in one month. Sowhat do you guys think about the RX 480? Letme know in the comments below and I will catchyou in the next one!\n"