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Rumor: AMD's Single-GPU R9 390X Will Be Liquid Cooled

By - Source: VideoCardz.com | B 81 comments

Is it possible that AMD's next flagship GPU will be liquid cooled out of the factory?

When the R9 290 and R9 290X came along, one of the biggest complaints about the cards was their cooler. The reference cooler was, simply, not good. It didn't allow the GPUs to run at their full potential, and it was very, very loud. On top of that, it let the GPUs run at 95 C, which a lot of users simply weren't comfortable with.

AMD addressed these issues when it built the R9 295X2, as it was cooled with both air and water. The result? A superb cooler, for which almost no vendors built aftermarket solutions. That last bit may have had something to do with vendor restrictions, but there simply wasn't a need – it kept both of the fully-enabled Hawaii GPUs running at their stock speeds, and it wasn't noisy while doing so.Image credit: http://tieba.baidu.com/p/3290317929?pn=1Image credit: http://tieba.baidu.com/p/3290317929?pn=1

There is now a rumor on the web, based off an image and an announcement from Asetek, that AMD is building its next Radeon R9 390X graphics card with a similar cooler. Yep, that's right; we might be looking at the first single-GPU reference design that's liquid cooled.

The image of the cooler shroud that was leaked on the Baidu forums is clear, although what isn't clear is the announcement from Asetek: the company announced on August 14 that it had secured the biggest design with 'an undisclosed OEM.' This win would result in $2 - $4 million dollars of revenue for this undisclosed OEM, and the undisclosed product in question would start shipping during the first half of 2015. The announcement did indicate that it would help Asetek's success in the graphics liquid cooling market. So take these two details, put them together, and we can say that there's a good chance that the R9 390X reference design will be partially liquid cooled. (One plus one equals, two, you know.) Of course, this is still a rumor, so do be sure to take it with a pinch of salt.

So, what do you think? Would you like to see this happen, or do you think it's going a little far for a single-GPU solution?

Follow Niels Broekhuijsen @NBroekhuijsen. Follow us @tomshardware, on Facebook and on Google+.

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Top Comments
  • 18 Hide
    4ktv , September 12, 2014 3:29 PM
    Sounds like it will be a cool GPU to own. (No pun intended)
  • 13 Hide
    4ktv , September 12, 2014 4:13 PM
    Are you calling the R9 390 and/or the $3000 Nvidia GPU an impractical "beast" card?

  • 13 Hide
    4ktv , September 12, 2014 3:57 PM
    Nope it's the Fiji with a lot more cores. This thing will decimate the GTX 980 if the rumors are true. It will how ever suck a lot of power.

    NVidia will likely need a fire sale. The only NVidia card I have owned is the GTX 580 and it will very likely be getting replaced by the R9 290 or R9 390 line depending on pricing.

    The best card I ever had for the money was the HD 4870 that I got in mid 2009 for $150 new.
Other Comments
    Add your comment Display all 81 comments.
  • 18 Hide
    4ktv , September 12, 2014 3:29 PM
    Sounds like it will be a cool GPU to own. (No pun intended)
  • 2 Hide
    Because0789 , September 12, 2014 3:46 PM
    It is great that the heat issues have been worked out, but doesn't change the fact that this card most likely needs liquid cooling. That heat is still generated and still has to go somewhere, I guess it is fine if you can get most of it out of the case and not increase ambient temps.
  • 7 Hide
    heero yuy , September 12, 2014 3:47 PM
    sounds like NVidia will really have to pull out all the stops on their 980 if the 390X is some insane liquid cooled thing
  • 7 Hide
    Because0789 , September 12, 2014 3:48 PM
    Quote:
    sounds like NVidia will really have to pull out all the stops on their 980 if the 390X is some batshit insane liquid cooled thing


    It could be just overclocked/volted Hawaii, hence the need for liquid cooling.
  • 5 Hide
    tslot05qsljgo9ed , September 12, 2014 3:55 PM
    Why can't AMD make GPUs that take low power and run cool on air like they used to do?

    Nvidia has found a way with their Maxwell GPUs so what happened at AMD to have them forget how to do the same?
  • 13 Hide
    4ktv , September 12, 2014 3:57 PM
    Nope it's the Fiji with a lot more cores. This thing will decimate the GTX 980 if the rumors are true. It will how ever suck a lot of power.

    NVidia will likely need a fire sale. The only NVidia card I have owned is the GTX 580 and it will very likely be getting replaced by the R9 290 or R9 390 line depending on pricing.

    The best card I ever had for the money was the HD 4870 that I got in mid 2009 for $150 new.
  • 1 Hide
    Because0789 , September 12, 2014 4:12 PM
    Quote:
    Nope it's the Fiji with a lot more cores. This thing will decimate the GTX 980 if the rumors are true. It will how ever suck a lot of power.

    NVidia will likely need a fire sale. The only NVidia card I have owned is the GTX 580 and it will very likely be getting replaced by the R9 290 or R9 390 line depending on pricing.

    The best card I ever had for the money was the HD 4870 that I got in mid 2009 for $150 new.


    We'll see I guess. AMD is not as forthcoming as to the delineations between new chips and new architecture. Or at least not as forthcoming as Nvidia, Fermi, Kepler, Maxwell for example. Those all had different chips GK110, etc. but you knew what architecture they were. So I don't know if they are coming out with a new architecture a year after whatever is in Hawaii
  • 13 Hide
    4ktv , September 12, 2014 4:13 PM
    Are you calling the R9 390 and/or the $3000 Nvidia GPU an impractical "beast" card?

  • -3 Hide
    CaptainTom , September 12, 2014 4:24 PM
    Has anyone also considered that this AIO cooler might be fully built into the shroud? I have a 92mm radiator in my PC, and it could easily be reconfigured to fit inside my 7970...
  • 2 Hide
    Doug Lord , September 12, 2014 4:33 PM
    I hope I'm wrong but I have a feeling the 980 and 390 are both going to disappoint. I've seen benchmarks saying the 980 is barely faster then 780. Other sources say it's 30% above the 780ti. I'm pretty sure the new AND line won't be leaps and bounds better then Nvidia. They are always +/- 10% and cheaper but louder/hotter/poor drivers.
  • 2 Hide
    jimmysmitty , September 12, 2014 4:41 PM
    Quote:
    It is great that the heat issues have been worked out, but doesn't change the fact that this card most likely needs liquid cooling. That heat is still generated and still has to go somewhere, I guess it is fine if you can get most of it out of the case and not increase ambient temps.


    Actually that is to be determined. The biggest question is if it is using 22nm. If so, it can lower power draw and thermals while increasing the core count. The other side is that they might be using the liquid cooling closed loop system to their advantage since it is cheap enough to put out a single GPU card that will push NVidia harder. I am all for that as it will force NVidia to work harder as well.
  • 1 Hide
    Because0789 , September 12, 2014 5:03 PM
    Quote:
    Quote:
    It is great that the heat issues have been worked out, but doesn't change the fact that this card most likely needs liquid cooling. That heat is still generated and still has to go somewhere, I guess it is fine if you can get most of it out of the case and not increase ambient temps.


    Actually that is to be determined. The biggest question is if it is using 22nm. If so, it can lower power draw and thermals while increasing the core count. The other side is that they might be using the liquid cooling closed loop system to their advantage since it is cheap enough to put out a single GPU card that will push NVidia harder. I am all for that as it will force NVidia to work harder as well.


    I agree about pushing Nvidia, but the 20 mn(22 is Intel) just got up to speed and was completely booked by mobile until the beginning of next year. So the 390X is either going to be delayed until then or come out on the 28 nm. The reason Nvidia is so late with the new cards is probably because they were waiting for the 20nm, which got delayed and then they decided to retool it for 28 nm as a stop gap for 20nm. There are even rumors that they'll skip 20 nm altogether and go with 16 nm.
  • 0 Hide
    firefoxx04 , September 12, 2014 5:04 PM
    Why not just make a good air cooler? There are air cooled 290x cards that are fine.
  • 0 Hide
    turkey3_scratch , September 12, 2014 5:08 PM
    How will power efficiency be?
  • 0 Hide
    redgarl , September 12, 2014 5:09 PM
    That might mean that AMD want to provide higher clock rate too. I believe it might be the new AMD trademark.
  • 1 Hide
    IInuyasha74 , September 12, 2014 5:19 PM
    I have generally mixed feelings about it. On the one side, liquid cooling is really helpful and can reach good overclocks and performance while staying cool and quiet. On the other side, I would hope the AMD R9 3XX series cards would move to 20nm and not need so much power that it creates so much heat that it needs liquid cooling. So I worry they are doing it out of necessity, but if they are doing it just to attain super high clock speeds for overclocks then I am happy about it.

    Suppose it doesn't really matter to me though. If I got enough extra cash I might go into the R9 X80 cards but I wouldn't bother with anything higher. At that level its already enough performance to max out most games, and I'm not making a move to UHD till it becomes a lot cheaper so its not really needed unless your going overkill.
  • 1 Hide
    alidan , September 12, 2014 5:33 PM
    Quote:
    Why can't AMD make GPUs that take low power and run cool on air like they used to do?

    Nvidia has found a way with their Maxwell GPUs so what happened at AMD to have them forget how to do the same?


    because nvidia has no problem ripping everything not gaming related out of their gpu and sticking it on their high end crap.

    Quote:
    I'm sick of these impractical beast cards. I just want the next generation to come out already.

    this is the high end of the high end, the single most powerful gpu the company makes, these are cards made for people who do not compromise their gaming experience and do stupid crap.

    you literally barely need higher than a mid range (270-280) to play most games at max and close to if not 60fps at 1080p

    Quote:
    Why not just make a good air cooler? There are air cooled 290x cards that are fine.


    they still run hot.
    my brother has a custom loop, it took his 290X from 85-90c load and loud as hell down to 55c max and inaudible. now, make that card overclock from 55c to 85c as standard and you would have a beast of a card from the get go and at a fairly cheap price considering to get that speed normally you would need to oc on water anyway.
  • 5 Hide
    tomfreak , September 12, 2014 6:12 PM
    given that GCN architecture isnt a bulldozer of GPU, with Liquid cooling + high TDP. This will be a beast card the might destroy GM204/GTX980. Nvidia might need to bring out GM200/GM210 earlier than expected.

    Good for us. More competition, price war. XD
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