AMD Navi PCB leak suggests GDDR6 memory and 256-bit interface

[onetheycallEric]

Highly anticipated: AMD's Navi is expected to be something of a watershed moment for AMD and Radeon at large, hopefully restoring competitiveness with market leader Nvidia. So far, it's been hard to judge what changes AMD plans to make with Navi, aside from being built on 7nm, which will certainly bring new levels of efficiency and IPC improvements. That said, new images of an alleged Navi PCB offer a bit of perspective; GDDR6 memory, a 256-bit memory interface, and an impressive 8-phase VRM could be on tap.

Images of a new AMD PCB have surfaced online -- like these things tend to do -- and show what appears to be a Navi reference design.

The images show eight DRAM packages flanking the GPU itself, with early examinations suggesting a BGA (ball grid array) package size of 180, indicating the use of GDDR6 memory for the VRAM. That in itself is interesting, as AMD has tended to favor its HBM and HBM2 memory, which has led to both higher prices and limited availability, as the use of HBM memory complicates the construction process of the cards.

 

Assuming legitimacy, the implementation of GDDR6 could mean lower prices and wider availability, especially as it relates to AMD's Vega lineup. The eight memory packages also appear to be single sided, suggesting an 8GB configuration and a 256-bit memory bus, similar to Nvidia's GeForce RTX 2080 and 2070 cards.

Buildzoid offers an excellent PCB analysis, in which he speculates over the 8-phase VRM making use of Smart Power Stage modules, two 8-pin power connectors and a 300W TDP. There's also conjecture over the potential of a blower style cooler, and whether or not this PCB could be a workstation or gaming variant.

We're hopeful that AMD will have more to show off with Navi at Computex in June, which is right around the corner at this point. AMD has been very secretive regarding its Navi architecture, but we know Navi will support ray tracing, and there's talk of variable rate shading. We also know Navi will be based on 7nm, as will AMD's next round of Ryzen processors.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/79837-amd-navi-pcb-leak-suggests-gddr6-memory-256.html

 

[Evernessince]

Isn't this VRM too beefy? I thought Navi was only supposed to be mid-range to low end.

 

[Lew Zealand]

If this is a replacement for the RX580/590, which consumes~230W, then maybe a 300W-capable VRM isn't out of the question. Of course 7nm is supposed to be lower power consumption but if we compare the Radeon VII with Vega 64, AMD tuned for added performance at the same wattage instead of the same performance at lower wattage.

 

[Vulcanproject]

Isn't this VRM too beefy? I thought Navi was only supposed to be mid-range to low end.

It isn't if the performance per watt is still poor like Radeon 7. This is a GCN based design. It's probably just an RX590 shrunk a bit more with higher clocks so it's somewhere as fast as Vega 56/64 ballpark perhaps.

It really could do with being much better than that but I can't say I would be surprised if that was all it was.

 

[Puiu]

I don't think AMD will add raytracing this generation. the bigger 2020 Navi might feature it.

 

[mockingbird1]

If you need any more nails in the coffin of AdoredTV's fake "leaks", here they are.

If the supposed "Radeon RX 3080" has a TDP of 150W, why would it have two 8 pins connectors and have VRMs on par with the reference Vega?

It wouldn't.

 

[DukeJukem]

If you need any more nails in the coffin of AdoredTV's fake "leaks", here they are.

If the supposed "Radeon RX 3080" has a TDP of 150W, why would it have two 8 pins connectors and have VRMs on par with the reference Vega?

It wouldn't.

psh just reading AMD and 150W tells me it's not real lol. They can't even compete in the framerate game let alone the TDP game.

 

[mockingbird1]

If you need any more nails in the coffin of AdoredTV's fake "leaks", here they are.

If the supposed "Radeon RX 3080" has a TDP of 150W, why would it have two 8 pins connectors and have VRMs on par with the reference Vega?

It wouldn't.

psh just reading AMD and 150W tells me it's not real lol. They can't even compete in the framerate game let alone the TDP game.

If the fake "leaks" were real, Navi would have to be even more power efficient than Turing.

I am surprised that so many people fell for this hoax.

 

[Evernessince]

If you need any more nails in the coffin of AdoredTV's fake "leaks", here they are.

If the supposed "Radeon RX 3080" has a TDP of 150W, why would it have two 8 pins connectors and have VRMs on par with the reference Vega?

It wouldn't.

"nail in the coffin" assumes this is in fact real or actually the RX 3080 at all. You can't disprove a leak with a leak. Neither are confirmed fact yet.

AdoredTV discloses the potential for his leaks to be incorrect, you should take the same level of caution with these as well.

 

[mockingbird1]

If you need any more nails in the coffin of AdoredTV's fake "leaks", here they are.

If the supposed "Radeon RX 3080" has a TDP of 150W, why would it have two 8 pins connectors and have VRMs on par with the reference Vega?

It wouldn't.

"nail in the coffin" assumes this is in fact real or actually the RX 3080 at all. You can't disprove a leak with a leak. Neither are confirmed fact yet.

AdoredTV discloses the potential for his leaks to be incorrect, you should take the same level of caution with these as well.

You have to use common sense.

AdoredTV's hoax claims that a hypothetical "Radeon RX 3080" is 15% faster than Radeon RX Vega 64 while using half the power.

That's over twice the efficiency of Vega and even more efficient than Turing.

AMD would have to pull a rabbit out of a hat to achieve hat.