14 DAY TRIAL // It seems that AMD is working on a new graphics card that will feature a fully-fledged GPU code-named "Tonga" and will have all the stream processors activated.
As it turns out, the new card's performance output will be fairly similar to the Radeon R9 285X, but the new model will have a truly powerful GPU to tackle NVIDIA's Maxwell line. Enjoying 2048 stream processors, as well as 384-bit memory bus, the new graphics card will be slightly more powerful than the R9 380, and it will also be more power-hungry. The new card really proves that it carries a bigger GPU through its increased power consumption, as it has a total TDP of around 200-225W, compared to the existing Radeon R9 380 that comes with a TDP of 190W.
The new CGN 1.2 architecture will also allow the new card to outperform the previous Radeon R9 280X card, since the latter comes with an older "Tahiti" GPU. Apparently, the main reason AMD decided to keep the "Tonga" in shackles last year when it released the R9 285X was because power consumption was too high. With a fully-fledged "Tonga" die, however, the chip maker can place the new card as a good stop-gap between the Radeon R9 380 and the Radeon R9 390-series products.
A bigger, more power-hungry Radeon R8 380
It appears that AMD’s custom graphics card partners have already started to receive the new model, and an XFX model has been leaked online at expreview.com. Although full specs are unknown for the moment, the XFX graphics adapter features dual fans and a heatsink that, surprisingly, features a removable design for better cooling.
Display adapters on the new card will be Dual DVI, HDMI and a full-length display port. The card will retail for around $249 in the US when it finally launches, but given the production quality of the XFX model, we guess we’ll get more information about the card very soon.
