05-16-2016, 06:01 PM
There are perhaps some indicators.
1st- Amd comments. The specific words they have chosen when talking up Polaris are interesting. If these chops were capable of 980ti performance at 120 watts, I just don't think Amd would have a much different tone. Amd would not hold something like that back. They were demoing and showing off early early silicon last year, when the chip was no where close to ready for retail. Yet Amd is trying so hard for relevance they had staged some press showing with a supposed Polaris vs a low power maxwell solution. This wouldn't be bad except for the fact that Polaris was no where near launching. It's bizarre they would pull such a stunt at that time. It screams of desperation. Showing off preproduction chip on a new node vs one that was created long ago, of course they should be able to beat an old chip on an old node. But showing it off when your not even launching for at leat another 6 months....
See, if it was beating or matching the 980ti, surely this would be much more to brag about.
2-
Fury core 2 duo.
If Polaris is as fast as the 980ti, then why would they have rushed out the fury core 2 duo? The timing says a lot. The fury duo came just ahead of the gp104 and the 1080. Amd has already spoke about the gp104 saying that everything they know about it points to it being an a high end card, suggesting that Polaris was in a different bracket. Amd knew pascal was coming and it was high end. They have contacts, moles, and even share Aib partners. Nvidia can keep exact performance close but Amd wasn't clueless. I belive the fury core 2 duo was AMDS play, timed directly for the gp104. Try to hold the line somewhat until vega.
See, think back and it looks like a move from their playbook. Maxwell launch for example, gm204 was walking all over the 290x but you would often find post on forums and tech sites denouncing maxwell and claiming the 295X2 as the fastest card out. It didn't matter that it was a dual chip or the cf issues, just having something to come back with...just to keep them part of the discussion.
When maxwell launched, AMD had no response for a very long time. Eventually, the consoles contracts helped, GCN performance improved as newer games came out, and then finally the 300 series/fury. But for the time in between, there was this period of the 295x2.
Fast forward and it seems to me Amd has a similar play they are pulling from the play book.
I don't see why Amd would have such a solution, such a large chip with hbm. If Polaris 10 was as fast as the 980ti, such a tiny chip with a small buss...two of those on a board. Just think about it, the fury is 4gb ram. The duo will be restricted. A Polaris 10 could be 8 or more.
I think A lot points to Polaris not being a huge performer. I would say 290x ish.
1st- Amd comments. The specific words they have chosen when talking up Polaris are interesting. If these chops were capable of 980ti performance at 120 watts, I just don't think Amd would have a much different tone. Amd would not hold something like that back. They were demoing and showing off early early silicon last year, when the chip was no where close to ready for retail. Yet Amd is trying so hard for relevance they had staged some press showing with a supposed Polaris vs a low power maxwell solution. This wouldn't be bad except for the fact that Polaris was no where near launching. It's bizarre they would pull such a stunt at that time. It screams of desperation. Showing off preproduction chip on a new node vs one that was created long ago, of course they should be able to beat an old chip on an old node. But showing it off when your not even launching for at leat another 6 months....
See, if it was beating or matching the 980ti, surely this would be much more to brag about.
2-
Fury core 2 duo.
If Polaris is as fast as the 980ti, then why would they have rushed out the fury core 2 duo? The timing says a lot. The fury duo came just ahead of the gp104 and the 1080. Amd has already spoke about the gp104 saying that everything they know about it points to it being an a high end card, suggesting that Polaris was in a different bracket. Amd knew pascal was coming and it was high end. They have contacts, moles, and even share Aib partners. Nvidia can keep exact performance close but Amd wasn't clueless. I belive the fury core 2 duo was AMDS play, timed directly for the gp104. Try to hold the line somewhat until vega.
See, think back and it looks like a move from their playbook. Maxwell launch for example, gm204 was walking all over the 290x but you would often find post on forums and tech sites denouncing maxwell and claiming the 295X2 as the fastest card out. It didn't matter that it was a dual chip or the cf issues, just having something to come back with...just to keep them part of the discussion.
When maxwell launched, AMD had no response for a very long time. Eventually, the consoles contracts helped, GCN performance improved as newer games came out, and then finally the 300 series/fury. But for the time in between, there was this period of the 295x2.
Fast forward and it seems to me Amd has a similar play they are pulling from the play book.
I don't see why Amd would have such a solution, such a large chip with hbm. If Polaris 10 was as fast as the 980ti, such a tiny chip with a small buss...two of those on a board. Just think about it, the fury is 4gb ram. The duo will be restricted. A Polaris 10 could be 8 or more.
I think A lot points to Polaris not being a huge performer. I would say 290x ish.