AMD Radeon HD 8790M: Next-Gen Mobile Mainstream Graphics Preview
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
More so than Hitman or Far Cry 3, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim tends to be platform-bound. That's good news for mid-range mobile graphics processors.
Using the High preset, we still see that increasing resolution has an impact on each GPU, though. The Radeon HD 7670M is fairly playable at 1280x720, though it drops as low as 20 FPS in heavily-wooded areas. The last-gen VLIW5-based chip gets increasingly choppy as you step up to 1600x900 and beyond.
Meanwhile, the Radeon HD 8790M does better at 1920x1080 than the 7670M did at 1280x720. We're comfortable calling all three resolutions playable at this detail level.
The Ultra preset is notably more taxing on graphics hardware. We wouldn't bother trying to enjoy Skyrim on a Radeon HD 7670M-equipped notebook at even 1280x720 using that setting. AMD's Radeon HD 8790M fares better, but still suffers occasional performance dips.
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shikamaru31789 Wow, can't say I expected to see any 8000 series/700 series benchmarks for at least a few months. Looks prettyimpressive for a mobile GPU, can't wait to see what the high end mobile and desktop cards can do.Reply -
A Bad Day Sometimes I wonder why instead of CFing or SLIing two high end mobile GPUs, a desktop GPU would've achieved the same performance but without the stuttering or driver issues.Reply
And if thermal management is an issue, then the desktop GPUs could always be undervolted (but of course more expensive because of the extra step). -
A Bad Day Also, I'm interested to see if the MxM cards of the 8000s are available for retail purchase. I'd like to buy a 15" laptop that supports MxM and is on sale, and swap out the weak GPU.Reply -
Novuake Second review I have seen that uses this module method. Interesting way of doing it. Thanks Toms and AMD.Reply -
mayankleoboy1 Nice preview, Aku and AMD.Reply
Though i suspect you and Chris already have large 'hints' about the HD8000 series performance, but under NDA. -
SteelCity1981 looks like the value brand hit the end of the line with the 7000m series and id expect that with the APU's becoming the standard now for value graphics.Reply -
acku mayankleoboy1Nice preview, Aku and AMD.Though i suspect you and Chris already have large 'hints' about the HD8000 series performance, but under NDA.Reply
In the words of Sgt. Schultz "I know nothing." =_=
Cheers,
Andrew Ku
Tom's Hardware -
amuffin ackuIn the words of Sgt. Schultz "I know nothing." =_=Cheers,Andrew KuTom's HardwareReply
That's what they all say! ;) -
Robert Pankiw A Bad DaySometimes I wonder why instead of CFing or SLIing two high end mobile GPUs, a desktop GPU would've achieved the same performance but without the stuttering or driver issues. And if thermal management is an issue, then the desktop GPUs could always be undervolted (but of course more expensive because of the extra step).Reply
If you look, there is only one chip (shown on this page) which means it is not being CrossFired. I agree that 8780M would be a better name than 8790M. Andrew Ku, maybe on the front page you can clarify this?
About using desktop parts, it is my understanding that they sometimes do exactly that. Take the 7970M, which as far as I can tell, is an 78XX part (I forget which one) except the mobile chip has MUCH higher binning than the desktop 78XX. -
A Bad Day If the 7970M uses two 78XX, why not use a highly binned and undervolted 79XX? Again, better driver stability, more supports from games, more consistent performance scaling, and less micro-stuttering.Reply