AMD has launched its first model new graphics card structure since Vega was dropped in the marketplace nearly two years in the past, so now it’s time to see what it might do and overclocking AMD’s RX 5700 XT. The model new Navi RDNA GPU design has been targeted particularly on the wants of game engines over the compute-focus that AMD’s earlier GCN architectures had made their purpose.
So yay, we’ve acquired gaming graphics playing cards from the Radeon skunkworks tailor-made to our particular nerdy wants with out the extraneous number-crunching chops the Vega GPUs had been saddled with. And with Navi sighting improved single core efficiency over going wider and shoving in additional cores, the brand new GPUs are delivering gaming efficiency that really rivals their Nvidia enemies.
But Nvidia’s RTX 2070 Super remains to be the superior graphics card between it and the Radeon RX 5700 XT. It could also be $100 dearer, however that efficiency lead is one thing that each Nvidia and its followers will level to as proof that Team GeForce nonetheless has the sting. But the hole is simply wafer skinny, so can we make up the efficiency distinction in-game with a bit considered overclocking? We have the expertise…
Though, truthfully, we don’t really want any extra expertise than simply the fine-ass AMD RX 5700 XT, and the standard Radeon Adrenalin driver set that comes with it, to get a good overclock on the brand new Navi silicon. And sure, we’re praising AMD’s driver software program. I’ll admit it’s not one thing we do fairly often, however the latest Adrenalin drivers have been fairly darned strong, and the WattMan monitoring and tweaking software program works a deal with.
Normally we’d go together with the Rivatuner-based MSI Afterburner for all our overclocking wants, and we have now certainly caught with that for our Nvidia overclocking due to its Turing-happy OC Scanner performance. But, to squeeze that additional little little bit of gaming efficiency out of our RX 5700 XT to carry it as much as RTX 2070 Super ranges, the WattMan software program has every part we’d like.
| RX 5700 XT | RTX 2070 Super | RX 5700 | RTX 2060 Super | |
| GPU | AMD Navi 10 | Nvidia TU104 | AMD Navi 10 | Nvidia TU106 |
| Lithography | 7nm | 12nm | 7nm | 12nm |
| Stream processors | 2,560 | 2,560 | 2,304 | 2,176 |
| Memory | 8GB GDDR6 | 8GB GDDR6 | 8GB GDDR6 | 8GB GDDR6 |
| Boost clock | 1,905MHz | 1,770MHz | 1,725MHz | 1,650MHz |
| Transistors | 10.3bn | 13.6bn | 10.3bn | 10.8bn |
| Die Size | 251mm2 | 545mm2 | 251mm2 | 445mm2 |
| TDP | 225W | 215W | 180W | 160W |
| MSRP | $399 | $499 | $349 | $399 |
I’ve to say I used to be sceptical about simply how a lot additional we’d be capable to push the Navi 10 GPU contained in the XT. It’s chip has been cranked as much as bat above its rated peak engine clock of 1,905MHz and the GPU will get scorching as hell when it’s working at full pace. Traditionally that will be all you’d have to know to place the brakes on any potential overclocking extras you’d anticipate to get out of a brand new graphics card.
But with a mixture of moar powerz over-provisioning, a GPU overclock, and a bit gentle undervolting, we’ve been in a position to get our reference-clocked RX 5700 XT with its curvy blower cooler, to carry out on the similar gaming degree as a inventory RTX 2070 Super that prices $100 extra. Lovely stuff.
And it’s all very simple. Just right-click on the desktop, carry up the Radeon driver software program and dive into the gaming settings, and the WattMan tab. From right here we’re in a position to whack the ability restrict as much as +50% after which get down and soiled with Navi’s voltage/frequency curve. This is the only approach to overclock and undervolt, pushing up the goal GPU clock pace whereas driving down the voltage restrict on the similar time.
AMD has restricted how far you may push the frequency, placing a tough 2,150MHz barrier in place, however our GPU wouldn’t run stably with the curve pointing above the two,130MHz mark in any case. But when it comes to the voltage we managed to get that proper down from the 1,200mV max to 1,146mV, which makes an enormous distinction with regards to preserving the Navi GPU’s temps in line.
Of course with the upper clock pace frequency in place the GPU energy draw goes up by fairly a method, even with the chip undervolting happening. But the temperature solely popped up by a solitary 1°C over the inventory thermal efficiency, which is an efficient factor contemplating that curvy cooler has the cardboard peaking at 87°C at non-overclocked frequencies.
So that’s all you should do to get the RX 5700 XT as much as the identical efficiency because the way more costly Nvidia RTX 2070 Super. How tremendous. But what of the usual RX 5700, how properly does that overclock?
Honestly I had thought this may overclock like a dream, but it’s not turned out that method. From the spectacular inventory efficiency of the lower-spec Navi GPU I believed there can be a good chunk of overclocking headroom out there. And there is perhaps, nevertheless it appears AMD has restricted the extent to which you’ll take the straight RX 5700. It’s potential future VBIOS patches would possibly seem from the group aspect and unlock the total potential of the GPU, however proper now it seems prefer it’s being stored underneath lock and key.
In WattMan, and in Afterburner, the RX 5700 has a tough restrict on its GPU of simply 1,850MHz, and solely has the choice to supply one other +20% energy to the system too. Our reference card fortunately took the max of each choices and in addition allowed us to drop the voltage in WattMan down to only 1,046mV. This mixed signifies that whilst you’re now principally leaving the RTX 2060 Super within the mud, you’re probably not getting any nearer to the RX 5700 XT.
Which is probably going by design. Where the RX 5700 XT is simply one other $50 greater than the non-XT model AMD gained’t need you to only twiddle a few knobs and be inside touching distance of its quickest Navi GPU. So hobbling the overclocking alternatives would appear to be the way in which to go. It’s a disgrace, however once more, the XT is simply one other $50 extra, so realistically that’s the one we’d advocate. Just save up a bit longer and go for that one.
It does bear saying, nonetheless, that whereas we’re in a position to push the RX 5700 XT as much as the identical efficiency ranges because the RTX 2070 Super, that card itself has some helpful overclocking headroom all of its personal. And it’s even simpler to entry than with AMD and WattMan. Jump into Afterburner and use the OC Scanner characteristic and it’ll discover what it thinks is the best frequency/voltage curve for you. And with that in place the Nvidia card as soon as once more takes the efficiency lead, however once more solely simply.
Though it does nonetheless run a lot cooler and its 12nm GPU solely attracts a contact extra board energy than the 7nm Navi-based card.
But after we’re speaking a few $399 card up in opposition to a $499 GPU you’ve acquired to take your hat off to the spectacular RX 5700 XT. In reality, I’m working it overclocked in my workplace machine proper now and it’s utterly steady. Top work, AMD.
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