My ATI Radeon 5850 review (Gigabyte 5850OC) (custom dual fan model)

Edit: since this post nr. 1 there have been many updates and tips, including 2 new BIOS from Gigabyte. I'm not updating this post. So please read this thread carefully.
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Hi all!
Finally I have something to share produced by me. Just got my card from the shop. They didn't know (or want to) anything about 'particularities' of this card ("no customer has reported any problem").

Ok. Let me just say it straight. The card rocks. But has no working 2D mode.

I have only tested for 1 hour: Far Cry 2 and Heaven benchmarks. And AMD clock and Afterburner software. I will update this thread on the go.

I came from a pair of 9600. Here are the first benchmarks. (btw, my processor is a i5 570, overclocked to 3800).

FAR CRY 2
SLIed (2x) XFX GF 9600XXX VERY HIGH
Average Framerate: 57,49
Max. Framerate: 83,40
Min. Framerate: 0,51

ATI Gigabyte 5850OC VERY HIGH
Average Framerate: 72,83
Max. Framerate: 160,18
Min. Framerate: 52,09

ATI Gigabyte 5850OC ULTRA HIGH
Average Framerate: 51,37
Max. Framerate: 168,94 (Frame:0, 0,01s)
Min. Framerate: 33,68

HEAVEN bench:
9600's Average: 20 (DX10), not so nice to watch, not fluid.
ATI 5850: 50 (DX10), nice watching it.

So far, the good:
Easy installation and drivers install, after well cleaning nvidia drivers.
Not a single corruption or 'Zero FPS' freezing with these tests.
Did i say SPEED improvement?

Fans (it has 2):
PROFILES WORK (tested with CCC and afterburner)
Configurated at minimum of 25% (afterburner) of stock 55%, during benchmarks they auto-climb up to 58% MAX. Temperatures during benchmarks where always sub 60ºC.

Overclocking: apparently works (up to the limits in CCC 775/1125 or afterburner 1150/1300: sliders at least, not tested yes!)

2D MODE (low clock/energy saving)
NO GO, for now. On German Gigabyte forum they say a representative has promised a new BIOS in 2 weeks time. Uncertain outcome. Having a different Voltage chip, will it even be POSSIBLE to correct this???
In the year 2010 to have a card (designed to be savy) at full power all time seems idiotic.

Will update this with Bad comp 2 etc soon

Edit: played it at everything maxed out, max temp: 61 (stock OC frecuencies 765/1000)

Here a picture of the card :

Just noticed that if I make custom 2D and 3D profiles in Afterburner, they work! 3D starts and ends with the game

But still auto-undervoltage for 2D does not...

I wrote already to Gigabyte to make pressure.

2D profile: stock speeds, auto fan
3D profile: 900 Mhz, and 85% fan (slightly noisy, not noticeable while gaming)

thanks BraveSoul and erocker!

I did play once BF: BC2 at 1000 Mhz, but didn't increase the fan. after a while i got a hotlock (c) But I just played it at 950 Mhz with fan at 80% for 1,5 hour, excellent.

BTW, my native resolution is 1680x1050, i forgot to mention.

I really hope they release a BIOS, otherwise I would return it, because I use the PC 24/7, and mainly WORKING, not gaming.

Hi shevanel! Sorry, but don't know what you mean... I used Afterburner, to set speeds and fan speeds... In ATI profile I cannot OC that high (I mean the core has a 775 limit, but the memory and fans can be changed there).

I just made a screenie of the bios editor of the stock bios... I do not understand enough what this tells you, the veterans, I only see many missing entries.

Considering that this card has a different voltage chip + this screenie ... Do you think this CAN be fixed or maybe it is just a hoax card ("highly overclocable", "energy efficient ultra durable, blabla")

yes, I hope soon, or I will go exchange it... (btw, fans work as advertised, and change speed as needed)

Meanwhile 3dmark2006 (only legit one i own) = 20555, 25% faster than my old 9600 in the same box.*

* Ran this test with ati 5850 core at 1000, mem at 1050, and fans at 95%

Thanks to all you forum contributors and software writers, I have learned so much from you about all the applications, HURRA

@ shevanel: no sir, the fans at 80% are just buzzing (much lower noise than my gf9600 fans)
A rule of thumb is: the bigger a fan, the lower comparative noise... this card has 2 big fans. YET mass produced fans can be unpredictable, indeed some peeps with my same card complain about noise....

@cr1pz: if no 2D energy saving is no problem for you, yes it is the real deal I got it from my local chain appinformatica.com

Hi again, found some new things.

I dissembled the card/cooling to check the voltage regulator specs. I found that it is this one (a variant more precisely):
http://www.upi-semi.com/product/ProductInfo.aspx?ProductID=172
Mine says "uP6213AJ". Googled, and only east Asia sources refer it, as being used by the XFX Radeon 8530 (new cheapo card) and some MSI P55 mobos...
The theory of some clever guys of this forum seems correct: non reference designs are more often on the cheaper side then on the 'better' side.. yet this one claims ultra durable parts,... well the card looks indeed good in details apart form this.

Now, the to be explored part is that the Upi Semi websites defines this chip as able of power saving functions... Maybe not implemented, or still to be implemented by Gigabyte BIOS update or by some smart modder...

As I had all open I checked the thermal paste.. looked like old chewiing gum, replaced it with some artic silver, and tightened the screws.

Another aspect I found is this. The half of the RAM chips on the center part of the pcb receive air *thru* the fins (ok), the other half on the upper side, are mostly covered by the central part of the headsink, which is solid, so no airflow on them. Only casual airflow from moving air in that area.

There is no room to paste the good old blue Zalman RAM headsinks, only maybe 5 mm. The RAMs are just sitting there uncovered. Should I invent some aluminium heat spreader or not?

By the way, the card says MADE IN TAIWAN... That's a big geek plus, like 'Japaneses Capacitors' LOL

Ah, I forgot to mention that after tedious searches, I found some posts in forums that confirm that even after changing successfully the BIOS to an unlocked BIOS (rare achievement!!!), they still cannot change the voltages, up or down....

So no extreme overclocking will be possible, and neither downclocked energy efficient 2D modes... unless Gigabyte (or anyone else) comes out with a specific BIOS capable of dealing with the apparently existent but not implemented voltage management of the uP6213.

Then the RAM itself, I have checked mine and it is the same as the rest of the pack, that is Samsung K4G10325FE-HC04, capable of 1200... BUT, I believe that it needs that lacking voltage, because I cannot achieve that speed without locking up, even with the core underclocked.

Thank you for listening

crips: no idea man!
blake: wait a second

AgentHerman said:

Hey Guys I have had this card about a week. But i have a problem with the fans it is stuck on 55% fan speed while idle which is 2500rpm. Now the weird thing is i can control above 55% but setting it below 55% does nothing to the rpm. The fans are way to noisy for me at idle, gaming its fine with headphones on but the noise levels are similar to my reference 4870 at 40% fan speed.

Now erixx (or anyone with the card) you would be a legend if you could read what rpm you get on your card say with GPU-Z at idle speeds. I have been in contact with Gigabyte to determine if i have a fault with the fan controller.

They said the card has smart fan control technology and is automatically meant to adjust the fan speed. I see that it changes above 2500rpm but nothing less.


And those interested in Over clocking i am running fine at 900/1180 bad company 2,just cause 2 stable. Stock voltage of course i cant modify it either.

Click to expand...

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Hi agentHerman!

YEs stock minimum fan speed is 55%. And although sometimes I could change it, it would go back to 55%.
BUT what I found out and have been doing since yesterday is this:
Enable Overdrive in ATI CCC, and then DISABLE it with MSCONFIG. (ask if you wonder what that is) Then reboot or kill the process. ATI CCC sometimes would interfere with clock speeds (both under and overclock).
Then use Afterburner + AMD GPU Clock tool for everything. Make profiles, and keyboard shortcuts.
Autoprofile switch from 2D to 3D and back (including fan profiles)worked for me with Afterburner.... at the beginning, not now. Now when I start a game I just press a keystroke to overclock it. Autoswitching would be nice, though.
Anyway now I have my fans on auto, because in my case, 55% is not hearable! I start to hear it at about 75%...

Ah, AMD Clock tools says my fans at 55% are at 2550 rpm. (Everest says 5000 rpm, Everest counts the number of fans it seems and sums speeds up)

But I tested just for you, and I found this:
1) With CCC disabled, now I can freely set the fan in Afterburner and it seems to stay!!!! (Now at 33% here)

Good luck.
PD: I still not sure if to keep it or return it and wait and pay more for a reference card. ?!?!

PD2: I have a PSU with a Zalman Power Reader to the frontpanel, and it says 160W on idle, and goes up to 260W when gaming.... Would a 2D mode of the card really lower my power consumption... (I have made a custom 2D profile in Afterburner with clocks at only 700/800 Mhz, but voltage is unchanged of course)
Maybe voltage tuning can lower the HEAT but not the consumption, maybe Gigabyte thought why put a sofisticated regulator on it?

Keep it coming guys, this must be the only 'in depth' thread about the Gigabyte nonreference 5850 in the internet : Viva Tech Power Up

Edit: thanks SilverSilence... So that's it. There will be no update...

SK1!! But your card is a 5870!!
And yes 4 pipes versus 3 pipes..

Just tested something: the card, underclocked at 600/800 makes the Pc consume 169 W idling.
If I up it to 900/1015 it consumes 180 W.
Intense gaming with overclocks at CPU and GPU: 260 W

Would an operating 2D mode lower that 169W at idle ? (in the real world)