SAM tests on the RX 6800. AMD tunes more than it reveals

The Smart Access Memory feature is far from perfect. And although it is a useful technology overall, it also proves to be very unstable. What was true today may not tomorrow, and an in-depth analysis shows all those patches. On the one hand, those that eliminate the biggest problems that no one boasts about, and on the other hand, those that raise average performance in small steps. Read more “SAM tests on the RX 6800. AMD tunes more than it reveals” »

AMD Radeon RX 6800 test: More affordable “Big Navi”

The Radeon RX 6800 is the cheapest graphics card equipped with a Navi 21 graphics chip. That is naturally slower in this card than in the RX 6800 XT and RX 6900 XT, but the RX 6800 clearly offers the most attractive price/performance ratio of the three. And the power draw is also not bad, the efficiency is remarkably very decent here, despite the large, partially deactivated core. However, some flaws can be found on the AMD reference card. Read more “AMD Radeon RX 6800 test: More affordable “Big Navi”” »

RX 6800 XT vs. RTX 3080. Part 2/2: Non-gaming tests

Without application/computational tests, graphics card tests would be incomplete. Therefore, we will focus on this area outside of gaming that most hardware magazines neglect. We understand the reasons, there are several of them, but even so, it is possible with a little effort to make at least a few measurements. So hopefully they will also help multimedia creators in choosing the right graphics card. Read more “RX 6800 XT vs. RTX 3080. Part 2/2: Non-gaming tests” »

AMD SAM on RX 6800 XT: up to +44% performance (and lower noise)

We still have the Smart Access Memory turned off in the standard graphics card methodology (until there is support for GeForce as well). However, for AMD owners, SAM can be very beneficial, but on average you get a plus 5%. But also lower noise, which decreases remarkably. But in some areas AMD’s exclusive technology is also damaging. So be vigilant and broaden your horizons in a test in which we gave Radeon a hard time. Read more “AMD SAM on RX 6800 XT: up to +44% performance (and lower noise)” »

Duel: Radeon RX 6800 XT vs. GeForce RTX 3080 (part 1/2)

Eighteen selection games in various resolutions and settings, performance tests in computing applications, detailed analysis of power draw and generated sound, in which we go up to the level of frequency responses. This captures the new robust methodology for graphics card testing. And right at the beginning, popular high-end models from both camps are going to undergo the tests. Read more “Duel: Radeon RX 6800 XT vs. GeForce RTX 3080 (part 1/2)” »

Tests of Nvidia DLSS 2.0, RTX and other features for gamers

Nvidia RTX 2000 graphics cards are slowly but surely approaching the end of their production cycle, and new models are expected in the near future. But that doesn’t mean they have nothing to offer anymore, quite the opposite. Their main strengths, such as RTX and DLSS, have undergone several revisions, so let’s look at how well these technologies are doing and how they affect performance, whether positively or negatively. Read more “Tests of Nvidia DLSS 2.0, RTX and other features for gamers” »

What’s the best position for your M.2 SSD?

Graphics card can significantly contribute to cooling of SSD that are installed next to it. However, there’s a very thin line between helping and limiting. Let’s see when your graphics card can be a saviour for your SSD and when it’s an oppressor. As a bonus, we compared the cooling performance with and without the criticised MSI M.2 shield. Read more “What’s the best position for your M.2 SSD?” »