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AMD RX 480 PCIe power draw issue fix by July 7th
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AMD RX 480 PCIe power draw issue fix by July 7th

by Vyncent ChanJuly 6, 2016
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Users of AMD Radeon RX 480 and also reviewers have noticed that their RX 480s were drawing more than the maximum power load over the PCIe bus, leading to a few damaged PCIe slots as well as gaining the ire of the enthusiasts. AMD has quickly acknowledged this RX 480 PCIe power draw issue and has promised an update on 5th July, which they duly did.

From the update, AMD offers a choice of two solutions. The first is that AMD will adress the power distribution of the RX 480, most probably by pulling more power from the 6-pin power connector. This will lower the power draw from the PCIe slot, thus preventing any damage. Power supplies are usually more tolerant towards increased power draws than the PCIe slots on motherboards are, so it should be fine.

Another method that is suggested is that AMD will reduce the overall power consumption of the RX 480s to bring the power draw figures within spec. This is implied by the option to reduce total power with minimal performance impact or a compatibility mode. This option would be preferable for those who are running their systems with PSUs of questionable quality.

Last but not least, AMD also promised up to 3% performance enhancement thanks to optimizations in popular game titles with their upcoming Radeon Software 16.7.1 driver. Supposedly this will also help to negate the minimal performance impact for those who chose the compatibility mode.

The update as follows:

 

Pokdepinion: It is great to see AMD responding to complaints so quickly. In retrospect, AMD should most probably have released the RX 480 with a 8-pin power connector and sidestepped this mess, instead of a 6-pin power connector and now, this.

About The Author
Vyncent Chan
Technology enthusiast, casual gamer, pharmacy graduate. Strongly opposes proprietary standards and always on the look out for incredible bang-for-buck.

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