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MisterAndrew

macrumors 68030
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Sep 15, 2015
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Portland, Ore.
You misundertstood it: dual mini 6-pin is combined to a single 8-pin and the power draw is 85-95W under heavy load at the 6-pin connectors (so, both of them, not one). And it varies during testing.

To be exact, the power draw under "FurMark" is 85W (PCIe AUX 1) + 90W (PCIe AUX 2) + 55W (PCIe on-board bus), so that's 230W, not 160W.

I just noticed Sapphire says the 6-pin connector on the Nitro+ RX 580 LE is indeed optional. "1 x 8-pin + 1 x 6-pin (optional) AUX Power Connector". Good find.

http://sapphirenitro.sapphiretech.com/en/580-LE.html#specifications
 
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lilins

macrumors member
Apr 25, 2018
96
29
Villeurbanne
Hi, just to say: just tested the vega 64 nitro+

it works like a charm, and the fans are inaudible while idling, it's like having my 5770 back inside the mac pro.

downside is card is HUUUUUUUGE, i can't even install it leaving the PCIE fan, because this one is blocking the card, she is too damn long. I'm thinking about modding my fan case so i can let it installed with the card. right now i had to remove the fan...

if anyone has an idea about this :)
 

h9826790

macrumors P6
Apr 3, 2014
16,656
8,587
Hong Kong
Hi, just to say: just tested the vega 64 nitro+

it works like a charm, and the fans are inaudible while idling, it's like having my 5770 back inside the mac pro.

downside is card is HUUUUUUUGE, i can't even install it leaving the PCIE fan, because this one is blocking the card, she is too damn long. I'm thinking about modding my fan case so i can let it installed with the card. right now i had to remove the fan...

if anyone has an idea about this :)

Sapphire says the card is 310mm Long. It shouldn't be a problem. My 1080Ti is 313mm long, and I can still install it properly.
IMG_4249_filtered.jpg


Could you mind upload a photo, therefore, let us know how the situation looks like?
 

lilins

macrumors member
Apr 25, 2018
96
29
Villeurbanne
yep. here it is:

issue is: your card is less high, and only the top plastic case is a little longer so it can fit in the "hole" in front of the fan.

mine is 2,5 in size and it is as square as the maker could possibly do it: there is no room for it:

IMAGE 2018-05-02 15:22:54.jpg
 

h9826790

macrumors P6
Apr 3, 2014
16,656
8,587
Hong Kong
When i put the fan, the screw hole is 3-4 mm away, so i,m sure it does not fit. :)

That sounds strange to me. Because it seems your card just touch the red line (exactly the same length as the grey plastic plate)
4D82F5A5-4991-4819-8C8F-0F6EDE9E43D0.jpeg

Just fit.jpg

And as long as the card is not longer than the plastic plate, it should able to fit in. As I said, at least should be OK when the fan is at the "open" position.

So, if the PCIe fan is there, even at the "open" position, you still can't slide the card in?
 

MisterAndrew

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Sep 15, 2015
2,895
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Portland, Ore.
Thanks lilins for testing the Nitro+ Vega! It's unfortunate that the card is too long. Will the vendor allow you to return/exchange it? The Pulse 64 should be released sometime soon, but the Pulse 56 isn't a bad card. If you got the 56 you could flash it with the 64 bios when it becomes available with probably only 1-2% performance hit (below the 64).
 

lilins

macrumors member
Apr 25, 2018
96
29
Villeurbanne
Thanks lilins for testing the Nitro+ Vega! It's unfortunate that the card is too long. Will the vendor allow you to return/exchange it? The Pulse 64 should be released sometime soon, but the Pulse 56 isn't a bad card. If you got the 56 you could flash it with the 64 bios when it becomes available with probably only 1-2% performance hit (below the 64).

Thanks for the tip @MisterAndrew

honestly i’m thinking about keeping the card, buying a spare pcie fan, and modding my actual Fan, hoping i can make something a little clean.

the card itself is amazing, even under load (about an hour of x-plane in 4k) the beast wasn’t making much more noise than when idling. it’s almost as quiet than the original 5770 idling

if i can putback the expansion slot fan and with some macfanscontrol i may be able to make the whole mac pro quieter than it is now :)
 
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h9826790

macrumors P6
Apr 3, 2014
16,656
8,587
Hong Kong
I double check your photos. I really suspect the card can just fit in with the PCIe fan installed.

I can still see the screw hole. That means the card hasn't pass the blue line (PCIe fan case) yet. Just cover the plastic plate which for mounting the fan.
4D82F5A5-4991-4819-8C8F-0F6EDE9E43D0.jpeg

IMG_4249_filtered-1.jpg
IMG_4288.jpg
IMG_4287.jpg
Screen Shot 2018-05-03 at 11.36.20.png
Screen Shot 2018-05-03 at 11.37.36.jpg

It really looks like the PCIe fan can be there, even though may be the buffer is no more than 1-2mm.

I 100% trust you that there is some difficulties to install the graphic card with the PCIe fan still there. But I just wonder if that's "very hard to install, no room for error, must slide in at the exact correct position / direction" or "unable to install if the fan still there".
 

lilins

macrumors member
Apr 25, 2018
96
29
Villeurbanne
I double check your photos. I really suspect the card can just fit in with the PCIe fan installed.

I can still see the screw hole. That means the card hasn't pass the blue line (PCIe fan case) yet. Just cover the plastic plate which for mounting the fan. View attachment 760469
View attachment 760471 View attachment 760474 View attachment 760473 View attachment 760470 View attachment 760472
It really looks like the PCIe fan can be there, even though may be the buffer is no more than 1-2mm.

I 100% trust you that there is some difficulties to install the graphic card with the PCIe fan still there. But I just wonder if that's "very hard to install, no room for error, must slide in at the exact correct position / direction" or "unable to install if the fan still there".

here you have better photos :)

C7983C62-6AFC-4198-BF63-D55410147B3E.jpeg

1) top of card is longer than bottom

4AC933DF-D986-477E-910D-82D788051A33.jpeg


2) just in front the grey protection is shorter

Just for information if that has some use to someone, here is the system information details on GPU (in French, but well you'll get it ^^):

Radeon RX Vega 64 :



Jeu de composants : Radeon RX Vega 64

Type : Processeur graphique (GPU)

Bus : PCIe

Longueur de la voie PCIe : x16

VRAM (dynamique, max.) : 8176 Mo

Fournisseur : AMD (0x1002)

Identifiant du périphérique : 0x687f

Identifiant de révision : 0x00c1

Metal : Pris en charge, modèle de réglages macOS GPUFamily1 version 3

Moniteurs :

Acer CB281HK - forced RGB mode (EDID override) :

Résolution : 3840 x 2160 (2160p 4K UHD - Ultra High Definition)

L’interface graphique ressemble à ceci : 1920 x 1080 @ 60 Hz

Profondeur de mémoire d’image : Couleurs 24 bits (ARGB8888)

Moniteur principal : Oui

Miroir : Désactivé

Connecté : Oui

Rotation : Géré

Régler la luminosité automatiquement : Non

Type de connexion : DisplayPort



------------------------------------

Finally just a quick question, on these dual bios GPU which one is which? :)

when i installed it the button was switched to the front of cMP, i tested it and switched it yesterday to the back side of cMP and i can't really see a difference :)

which position is the OC? which one is the normal?
 
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h9826790

macrumors P6
Apr 3, 2014
16,656
8,587
Hong Kong
here you have better photos :)

View attachment 760482
1) top of card is longer than bottom

View attachment 760483

2) just in front the grey protection is shorter

Just for information if that has some use to someone, here is the system information details on GPU (in French, but well you'll get it ^^):

Radeon RX Vega 64 :



Jeu de composants : Radeon RX Vega 64

Type : Processeur graphique (GPU)

Bus : PCIe

Longueur de la voie PCIe : x16

VRAM (dynamique, max.) : 8176 Mo

Fournisseur : AMD (0x1002)

Identifiant du périphérique : 0x687f

Identifiant de révision : 0x00c1

Metal : Pris en charge, modèle de réglages macOS GPUFamily1 version 3

Moniteurs :

Acer CB281HK - forced RGB mode (EDID override) :

Résolution : 3840 x 2160 (2160p 4K UHD - Ultra High Definition)

L’interface graphique ressemble à ceci : 1920 x 1080 @ 60 Hz

Profondeur de mémoire d’image : Couleurs 24 bits (ARGB8888)

Moniteur principal : Oui

Miroir : Désactivé

Connecté : Oui

Rotation : Géré

Régler la luminosité automatiquement : Non

Type de connexion : DisplayPort



------------------------------------

Finally just a quick question, on these dual bios GPU which one is which? :)

when i installed it the button was switched to the front of cMP, i tested it and switched it yesterday to the back side of cMP and i can't really see a difference :)

which position is the OC? which one is the normal?

I see. That explain why the card can't fit. Thanks for the photos. The pictures explain everything now.

Anyway, if you have Windows, that should be easy to tell the ROM's difference.

And if no Windows installed. You may simply run few benchmarks, record their performance and power draw, then pick the one that perform better, or has better power / performance ratio. My Sapphire HD7950 Mac Edition card's manual clearly explained which ROM contain which BIOS. May be because that's too important for Mac user, that's why they did it. But you may double check the manual if there is any small print to explain which ROM is the OC one.
 
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lilins

macrumors member
Apr 25, 2018
96
29
Villeurbanne
I see. That explain why the card can't fit. Thanks for the photos. The pictures explain everything now.

Anyway, if you have Windows, that should be easy to tell the ROM's difference.

And if no Windows installed. You may simply run few benchmarks, record their performance and power draw, then pick the one that perform better, or has better power / performance ratio. My Sapphire HD7950 Mac Edition card's manual clearly explained which ROM contain which BIOS. May be because that's too important for Mac user, that's why they did it. But you may double check the manual if there is any small print to explain which ROM is the OC one.

I managed to install winwin but as my "safe boot" card is also an amd (5770) the driver s won't install and it won't boot on winwin with only the vega...

I am waiting for a GT120 i'll try again
 

h9826790

macrumors P6
Apr 3, 2014
16,656
8,587
Hong Kong
So here are my first fan modded pict. Not enought cause i cant close the security!!!

View attachment 760656 View attachment 760657 View attachment 760658 View attachment 760659 View attachment 760660

Leave the fan at open position is actually OK.

The metal plate on the other side is strong enough to hold the card into position. Especially the only large card you have is just the Vega 64, and it's basically sits on the CPU cage.

The fan itself can work at either open or close position. That's just a switch of that vertical metal bar.
 
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MacManu77

macrumors regular
Jan 31, 2018
110
4
I tested the PowerColor Red Dragon RX Vega 56 BIOS on my Pulse. It does not have the fan issue! It's very quiet. Depending on fitment (305 mm length) it could be an excellent choice for the cMP.

Thanks for the test.
Have you had the chance to verify the good functioning of the GPU with some programs in particular?
One question: how did you connect your Pulse to MacPro?
Thank you.
 

thevidness

macrumors member
Nov 1, 2013
60
35
Berlin, Germany
I've verified this is the primary BIOS for the Pulse 56 using GPU-Z: https://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/199585/199585

And this is the secondary BIOS: https://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/200514/200514

A nice surprise is that is has Samsung memory. If anyone's feeling adventurous you could try them on your reference 56 or 64 to see if it resolves the high fan speed issue. It looks like to bypass the subsystem ID mismatch you'd need to use these flags: atiflash -p 0 -f bios.rom

View attachment 757130

hi,

i think i‘d like to try flashing my reference sapphire rx vega 56 with a different bios to fix the fan issue. is the pulse 56 bios mentioned here still the „best“ option for that or would you recommend something else?

thanks and best regards,
haye
 

MisterAndrew

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Sep 15, 2015
2,895
2,390
Portland, Ore.
hi,

i think i‘d like to try flashing my reference sapphire rx vega 56 with a different bios to fix the fan issue. is the pulse 56 bios mentioned here still the „best“ option for that or would you recommend something else?

thanks and best regards,
haye

Yes, I would use the Pulse bios on the reference. You could also try the Nitro+ since the reference has the full size pcb. However, the Nitro+ bios may cause the card to run hotter since the Nitro+ is overclocked and has a better cooler to keep temps down. On the other hand, the Pulse has a lower fan speed limit (1,650 rpm) than the reference so it may run on the warm side under load as well. The Red Dragon has a 2,000 rpm limit so it may keep it cooler. You could test all of them and see which works better. If you can, let us know the case and card temps at idle and under load before and after the bios flash.
 
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MacManu77

macrumors regular
Jan 31, 2018
110
4
[doublepost=1525720660][/doublepost]Sorry MisterAndrew,
but have you had the chance to verify the good functioning of the GPU (with the PowerColor Red Dragon RX Vega 56 Bios) with some programs in particular?
One question: how did you connect your Pulse to MacPro?
Thank you.
 

MisterAndrew

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Sep 15, 2015
2,895
2,390
Portland, Ore.
[doublepost=1525720660][/doublepost]Sorry MisterAndrew,
but have you had the chance to verify the good functioning of the GPU (with the PowerColor Red Dragon RX Vega 56 Bios) with some programs in particular?
One question: how did you connect your Pulse to MacPro?
Thank you.

I didn't test very many programs with the Red Dragon bios. From my limited testing it seemed to behave identical to the Pulse bios. I did the Pixlas mod, but I know someone who is using the logic board connections with the bios in position 2 without issues.
 
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