AMD Radeon RX 470 (Updated: 3-way CrossFire possible)

[jacek_zet]

sure. misssssunderstand GPU is back (MAC PRO/ASUS RX470 STRIX GAMING 4GB)
I can use it on 4th PCI only. on 1st one:black screen

 

[jacek_zet]

by the way: can you help me? after flashing my rx470 to Polaris I cannot come back to original vbios. It could be flash with no errors but after I reboot my system flash "resets" to Polaris one not just injected one.????

 

[H2SO4]

I actually tried an XFX RX 460 but it did not work with my Mac Pro - even though macOS beta has RX 460's PCI ID all over it. I'm thinking Apple might be hiding something and we will only find out at the next product launch.

Based on MSRP pricing, it's a no-brainer to get the RX 480. However, given how hard it is to find one at $240 I'd say RX 470 is not a bad choice at all. Especially for us Mac Pro tower owners. The RX 470 works much better than RX 480 in macOS atm.

@killawat I checked Microcenter and Best Buy almost every morning for new inventory and door-busted the ones with GPU in stock. @javinv I don't have a 5K display to test unfortunately.

Would you mind sharing the kext mods you did please?

 

[theitsage]

This is the RX 480 for macOS how-to.

 

[H2SO4]

This is the RX 480 for macOS how-to.

Merci monsieur. If, I go AMD it’ll be one of these for sure. I’m still deciding on an Nvidia alternative though.

 

[Newtsrock]

Hey, can you help me with accelerating my XFX RX 470 its the same one but, I cant seem to get it working....

 

[theitsage]

Hey, can you help me with accelerating my XFX RX 470 its the same one but, I cant seem to get it working....

Can you send a link to the product page of your XFX RX 470? You can also upload the pictures of the GPU showing its ports. Which version of macOS is your Mac Pro running?

 

[Newtsrock]

Can you send a link to the product page of your XFX RX 470? You can also upload the pictures of the GPU showing its ports. Which version of macOS is your Mac Pro running?

Sure: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01J...=xfx+rx+470&dpPl=1&dpID=41h77jh5HDL&ref=plSrc
[doublepost=1483443493][/doublepost]

Sure: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01J...=xfx+rx+470&dpPl=1&dpID=41h77jh5HDL&ref=plSrc

I'm also going to have to check my Hackintosh later on which version it is because I am not near my PC but it is on Sierra

 

[Donar]

Hello, just a quick note:

I just got a Sapphire RX470 4GB (the one that looks like the reference design).
It boots up and can drive my Display at 3840x2160@60Hz. Had to put it in the upper PCIe 16x Slot, because it would not fit in the lower slot with the backplate attached.

Valley Benchmark:


Heaven Benchmark:


Geekbench Open CL score: 86189

 

[H2SO4]

Hello, just a quick note:

I just got a Sapphire RX470 4GB (the one that looks like the reference design).
It boots up and can drive my Display at 3840x2160@60Hz. Had to put it in the upper PCIe 16x Slot, because it would not fit in the lower slot with the backplate attached.

Valley Benchmark:
View attachment 681508

Heaven Benchmark:
View attachment 681513

Geekbench Open CL score: 86189
View attachment 681510

I have the same and will do some comparisons when I get back to my machine.
What OS is this on exactly?

 

[Donar]

I have the same and will do some comparisons when I get back to my machine.
What OS is this on exactly?

Hi,

my rig is running macOS Sierra 10.12.2 (16C67) with the needed .kext mod applied.

 

[H2SO4]

Hi,

my rig is running macOS Sierra 10.12.2 (16C67) with the needed .kext mod applied.

Ok, so almost the same-
10.12.3b, Slot 1 and GB 4 below;

Heaven brought the Mac, to. Its. Knees, (I had to force quit).
Same set up on Windows 10 though……….

 

[Donar]

My MacPro restarted itself the first time I started the Heaven Benchmark after I put in the RX470. Before that i ran Geekbench and had a terrible score, i assumed the driver was not loaded properly. After the restart i ran Heaven again and had no further problems. Maybe Heaven and Geekbench do not play together that well?

 

[H2SO4]

My MacPro restarted itself the first time I started the Heaven Benchmark after I put in the RX470. Before that i ran Geekbench and had a terrible score, i assumed the driver was not loaded properly. After the restart i ran Heaven again and had no further problems. Maybe Heaven and Geekbench do not play together that well?

I’ll give that a shot tomorrow when the Mac is free. My first reboot didn’t even work properly. Everything was well slow with both GPUs. When I spoke earlier of a Windows GB4 score it wasn’t with both GPUs in at the same time I don't yet know if Windows will like this arrangement, (RX470 + GT120).

 

[H2SO4]

Does anybody have any obscure detail about the 470?
Having some odd issues with mine, wondering if it’s because I’ve removed the back plate, it hasn't done something weird like removed a common ground point has it?
Also after a little more digging I’m questioning if I’ve even done the correct modifications to the plists in the extensions folder……….

So according to Wikipedia, the RX460 is Baffin but the Rx470 & RX480 are Ellesmere. There doesn't seem to be any mention of Ellesmere in the AMD kexts that I’ve seen?

 

[Donar]

So according to Wikipedia, the RX460 is Baffin but the Rx470 & RX480 are Ellesmere. There doesn't seem to be any mention of Ellesmere in the AMD kexts that I’ve seen?

As i understand it we are using the RX460 driver for our RX470/RX480 by adding the RX470/R480 PCI ID (67DF) to the list of supported GPU's in AMDRadeonX4100.kext. The driver is for RX460, but works with this workaround for RX470/RX480 also.

What are the odd issues you mentioned?

 

[Newtsrock]

As i understand it we are using the RX460 driver for our RX470/RX480 by adding the RX470/R480 PCI ID (67DF) to the list of supported GPU's in AMDRadeonX4100.kext. The driver is for RX460, but works with this workaround for RX470/RX480 also.

What are the odd issues you mentioned?

I also had some odd issues adding in 67DF, no matter what it would recognize my card and animations are extremely glitchy, for example, chrome painting flickers white in the whole window, and it doesn't accelerate when I add 67DF. I have an XFX RX 470, the same one that started the thread... Any input??

Also, quick note, i cant show you in a screenshot because it acts as if everything is normal...
[doublepost=1483830157][/doublepost]

 

[H2SO4]

As i understand it we are using the RX460 driver for our RX470/RX480 by adding the RX470/R480 PCI ID (67DF) to the list of supported GPU's in AMDRadeonX4100.kext. The driver is for RX460, but works with this workaround for RX470/RX480 also.

What are the odd issues you mentioned?

Well to start let me say that I reinstalled twice to eliminate any software issues. When it decided not to misbehave things were great but now amongst other things;

1. As per Newtsrock, glitchy animations. By glitch I mean very slight lag, but noriceable on both films and whilst computing normally.
2. Periodically at the login screen I’d see no users to choose from, they were there, (I’m assuming offscreen due to a changed resolution), so all I’d do is type the first letter, enter and then password and I was at the desktop with normal resolution.
3. Tomb Raider gave me a black screen.
4. Splinter Cell would crash.
5. Heaven would crash.
6. The menu bar was persistent. So I’d change focus to a new app and the finder menubar would somehow stay overlaid on that of whatever app I was using.
7. Every now and then the CPU fans would max out.

Put the 5770 back in and all was cool.The only config I’ve not yet tried is PCI slot two with power from six pin connector-B. Are we all in slot one or two with backplate removed?

 

[Donar]

I also had some odd issues adding in 67DF,
... animations are extremely glitchy, for example, chrome painting flickers white in the whole window, and it doesn't accelerate when I add 67DF. Any input??

Hi, can you add a Screenshot from "About this Mac "Graphics/Display". Mine is in German so i have to guess how it is named in english. I mean this one:



What are your Heaven/Valley/Geekbench/Luxmark Score? I don't need all but would be nice to have one or two of them, if one crashes maybe try again after a reboot. Which OSX/macOS Version are you on? MacPro or Hackintosh?

Well to start let me say that I reinstalled twice to eliminate any software issues. When it decided not to misbehave things were great but now amongst other things;

1. No, i don't see glitches there, but maybe it is just because I do not use my computer that often and do not notice the slight lag.
2. No, one time i could not write the password, into the password field. And two times i had to disconnect/connect the Display Port Cable after sleep because the display would not wake up.
   I had this issue with my 7950 also, so i do not blame the RX470 for that.
3. I can not test this as i do not have the game.
4. I can not test this as i do not have the game.
5. Heaven crashed the first time i started it, but after a reboot everything was fine.
6. No, i do not have this issue.
7. I do not have the issue, at least i think so. I had more trouble with my Sapphire 7950 where the GPU fan would go to max rpm after a reboot, unless i stress the GPU - then it would go down to normal.

Put the 5770 back in and all was cool.The only config I’ve not yet tried is PCI slot two with power from six pin connector-B. Are we all in slot one or two with backplate removed?

I have the backplate on and the card is in PCIe slot 2 as it wouldn't fit in slot 1 with the backplate attached. The backplate could give electromagnetic shielding to the GPU card.

 

[H2SO4]

Hi, can you add a Screenshot from "About this Mac "Graphics/Display". Mine is in German so i have to guess how it is named in english. I mean this one:
View attachment 682467


What are your Heaven/Valley/Geekbench/Luxmark Score? I don't need all but would be nice to have one or two of them, if one crashes maybe try again after a reboot. Which OSX/macOS Version are you on? MacPro or Hackintosh?

1. No, i don't see glitches there, but maybe it is just because I do not use my computer that often and do not notice the slight lag.
2. No, one time i could not write the password, into the password field. And two times i had to disconnect/connect the Display Port Cable after sleep because the display would not wake up.
   I had this issue with my 7950 also, so i do not blame the RX470 for that.
3. I can not test this as i do not have the game.
4. I can not test this as i do not have the game.
5. Heaven crashed the first time i started it, but after a reboot everything was fine.
6. No, i do not have this issue.
7. I do not have the issue, at least i think so. I had more trouble with my Sapphire 7950 where the GPU fan would go to max rpm after a reboot, unless i stress the GPU - then it would go down to normal.

I have the backplate on and the card is in PCIe slot 2 as it wouldn't fit in slot 1 with the backplate attached. The backplate could give electromagnetic shielding to the GPU card.

I was trying to get away with no blocking the other slots. I might see if it fits in slot 4.
Ok, so noticed some other things that might not help. We have differences;
Your sub system ID is different. You have 9470 versus my E349.
Subsystem vendor ID 1682 vs 174B.
Current bus settings, PCI Express 3.0x16 vs ???
BIOS part number 113-47045HYF1-W81 vs 113-349PRO4-U45.
Core clock 1226 vs 1216.
(You’re XFX and I’m Sapphire so that may explain it).

For completeness, I’ve also attached grabs of the overview and software tabs;

 

[Newtsrock]

I'm going to try changing my system definition to MacPro16,1 if that doest work I'm going to do a bit more research, hope that might help. Also about the glithcing, more GPU bound stuff like Chrome, Launchpad, or Illustrator will flicker. However some animations like dock icon bouncing and minimizing are fine. I have to do a bit more research.

 

[Newtsrock]

I tried that didn't work, maybe 15,1 will??? I'll try later.
[doublepost=1483976728][/doublepost]OK so I see that people are on 10.12.2 while I'm on 10.12.1 so I'm going to update it and modify the kext file and hope for the best
[doublepost=1483978003][/doublepost]The update didn't help

 

[Newtsrock]

So I guess I should go into more detail. macOS recognizes the card from the start, even if it thinks it is an R9. Animations are extremely glitchy and or laggy. For example if I open Launchpad the fade and zoom is extremely laggy. Chrome flickers white when repainting, the login screen flickers white as well. When dragging windows around there is screen tearing and there is no vibrancy. If I put the correct PCI id in the AMDRadeonX4100.kext file the screen goes black after boot...

 

[Donar]

.If I put the correct PCI id in the AMDRadeonX4100.kext file the screen goes black after boot...

You mean if you insert 0x67DF1002 to the Info.plist? I had a black screen too after the first reboot, have you tried out all Display Port outputs? I had to unplug my DP cable and plug it into another port.

I see that under "Revision ID:" the line "Metal: Supported" is missing compare to my screenshot where it says "Metal: Unterstützt" that means supported.

Did you drag the edited AMDRadeonX4100.kext onto e.g. Kext Utility to repair permissions?

 

[Newtsrock]

You mean if you insert 0x67DF1002 to the Info.plist? I had a black screen too after the first reboot, have you tried out all Display Port outputs? I had to unplug my DP cable and plug it into another port.

I see that under "Revision ID:" the line "Metal: Supported" is missing compare to my screenshot where it says "Metal: Unterstützt" that means supported.

Did you drag the edited AMDRadeonX4100.kext onto e.g. Kext Utility to repair permissions?

Yes I did do all of that, I'm using HDMI which isn't an issue with my old AMD Radeon HD 6800... Maybe you could assist me further???

Edit: Do you have a Skype or Discord?? Maybe you could guide me through to make sure I'm doing everything OK