Asus 5850 DirectCU 2 slot or 3 slot card?

JonnyG1982 · 21 Apr 2010 at 16:32

1uke said:
Hmmmn got me worried about buying a DirectCu version now... think I might wait.
Maybe a bios flash on ur DirectCu 5850's is needed to the standard Asus 5850?

Is anyone trying crossfire? is there a way to overclock both cards as I dont see a option on SmartDoctor for that?

Im now running crossfire using reference design and new design. Thankfully with the new card top and old card bottom (i assume it would better for heat this way as heat rises, although bottom card is cramped

). MSI afterburner is allowing me to clock both cards same time. Also both cards are using fan speed correctly so both increase fan rpm as they get hotter at the correct amount. Newer card running a bit cooler. Havent tried core voltage yet or memory. Got to go back to work.

1uke · 21 Apr 2010 at 19:08

Thanks for the replys everyone.

Keep me updated with your crossfire overclocking, especially adjusting the voltage and clock speed achieved please.

Jay_t · 21 Apr 2010 at 20:40

1uke said:
Hmmmn got me worried about buying a DirectCu version now... think I might wait.
Maybe a bios flash on ur DirectCu 5850's is needed to the standard Asus 5850?

Is anyone trying crossfire? is there a way to overclock both cards as I dont see a option on SmartDoctor for that?

I have a pair of these in crossfire and can confirm that smartdoctor lets you overclock both cards at the same time. Just wish I could solve my problem with tesselation causing the rig to crash in crossfire mode. This happens to me with any pair of 5850s even though tesselation works with all of the cards in single GPU config.

1uke · 21 Apr 2010 at 21:32

Jay_t said:
I have a pair of these in crossfire and can confirm that smartdoctor lets you overclock both cards at the same time. Just wish I could solve my problem with tesselation causing the rig to crash in crossfire mode. This happens to me with any pair of 5850s even though tesselation works with all of the cards in single GPU config.

How come your only running 900mhz clock speed? I'm guessing its because you only have a 24" monitor and don't need to run your 5850 clock any higher as already maxing everything... Have you tryed running over 1000mhz in crossfire?

Boozebeard · 21 Apr 2010 at 22:40

I've got mine stable at 1000 core 1.24 volts. Setting the volts with smart doctor and the clock with CCC has been working for me. It's running at 70c but the fans only at 50%

1uke · 22 Apr 2010 at 06:33

Is that under 100% load using FurMark? As my standard Asus 5850 don't go above 60c after 15 mins of Furmark (1920x1200/msaa=8x/stability test*) I have it set on SmartCooling but its not gone above medium fan speed yet...

Think I will try get a standard Asus 5850 and upgrade the cooler myself once a proven aftermarket cooler is out.

fs123 · 22 Apr 2010 at 09:46

I'm getting the vibe that it's not worth buying the DirectCu version of the Asus.
I want to get a card where I can change the voltage so what do you guys recommend bearing in mind that the standard Asus card is incredibly rare at the moment.

1uke · 22 Apr 2010 at 14:44

The standard Asus 5850 is available elsewhere fairly easily but not from overclockers unfortunately.

I would wait to hear back more regarding the DirectCu version before totally dismissing it. It could be bad ventilation in ppl's cases etc so any card would get hot. And I believe all asus versions have voltage adjustment.

What size monitor are you trying to power? As 1 single 5850 oc is struggling to run high settings on many games like bfbc2 etc on my 30" monitor resolution = 2560 x 1600, Which is why I started this thread to find out if i could fit another 5850 for crossfire in my current case.

Boozebeard · 22 Apr 2010 at 18:43

Well my room is pretty toasty at the moment. I was running the heaven benchmark.

up2nogooduk · 23 Apr 2010 at 00:01

My brother has the asus 5870 ref card. and it's such a nice card.
I'm using the Asus 5850 DirectCU card now. it says 50% performance,
as in overclock lol.

you can only go up2 900 core on that smart doctor.
and you can't use the msi afterburner to change the voltage.
the normal asus 5850 worked with it fine.
so as for overclocking, smart doctor needs to get sorted.
I know there is ways round it, but asus sends a card out with software that does not do what it say's on the tin. 50% performance

we tested the 5870 against the 5850 clocked.
even tho the 5850 is so close, we found the 5870 just seemed to be a little bit smoother when things hot hairy in bfc2, not sure why. ? but still it does a exellent job

2 of these would be a killer

Seems a nice card thou, a lot less noise once the fan goes up.

bells · 23 Apr 2010 at 00:04

up2nogooduk said:
My brother has the asus 5870 ref card. and it's such a nice card.
I'm using the Asus 5850 DirectCU card now. it says 50% performance,
as in overclock lol.

you can only go up2 900 core on that smart doctor.
and you can't use the msi afterburner to change the voltage.
the normal asus 5850 worked with it fine.
so as for overclocking, smart doctor needs to get sorted.
I know there is ways round it, but asus sends a card out with software that does not do what it say's on the tin. 50% performance

we tested the 5870 against the 5850 clocked.
even tho the 5850 is so close, we found the 5870 just seemed to be a little bit smoother when things hot hairy in bfc2, not sure why. ? but still it does a exellent job
2 of these would be a killer

Seems a nice card thou, a lot less noise once the fan goes up.

The extra shaders ? maybe

up2nogooduk · 23 Apr 2010 at 00:14

bells said:
The extra shaders ? maybe

You must have heard my mate lol his here now. as he wanted to see how the card went. and he just said what you did lol it's won't be as smooth no matter what, because it have more shaders. so maybe thats why.?

His running 2 asus 5870 ref cards now. and they look nice with the carbon affect, well not when there installed, as you can see the affect anymore lol and it's fast :eek:

Lucky soddddddddddddddddddd. :rolleyes:

fs123 · 23 Apr 2010 at 00:16

1uke said:
The standard Asus 5850 is available elsewhere fairly easily but not from overclockers unfortunately.
....

I've looked nearly everywhere but can't find any place with them in stock. I'm searching on google.. :confused:

up2nogooduk · 23 Apr 2010 at 00:18

The Asus ATI Radeon HD 5870 have gone up in price, why is that ???
They need to come down

up2nogooduk · 23 Apr 2010 at 00:19

fs123 said:
I've looked nearly everywhere but can't find any place with them in stock. I'm searching on google..

You be lucky lol i searched everywhere for one of them, but no joy.
The newer card is nice card.

1uke · 23 Apr 2010 at 08:32

My Asus SmartDoctor clocks all the way to 1200 clock speed with my standard reference design asus 5850. Have you thought about flashing the bios?

http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/...ufacturer=&model=HD+5850&interface=&memSize=0

1uke · 23 Apr 2010 at 08:37

up2nogooduk said:
You be lucky lol i searched everywhere for one of them, but no joy.
The newer card is nice card.

I have found at least 2 or 3 places selling them for around £240 deliverd in stock as I bought one 2 weeks ago. Search a little harder

theres also 1 on a well known auction site new buy it now, listed this morning.

JonnyG1982 · 23 Apr 2010 at 14:42

1uke said:
My Asus SmartDoctor clocks all the way to 1200 clock speed with my standard reference design asus 5850. Have you thought about flashing the bios?

http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/...ufacturer=&model=HD+5850&interface=&memSize=0

Yeah, on reference card the smartdoctor allows core to clock to 1200mhz, on new design it can only clock to 900mhz. One has to wonder which utter tools they have working for these big companies who make amazingly stupid mistakes. I mean honestly. How can they make a card and go on banging about overclocks and then charge more for the card and yet send it out with software which doesnt even work right....twice (1st ref card and smartdoctor stopped tesselation working for some people).

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=236553
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=236553
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?p=1035621981

Im now struggling to overclock my cards because smartdoctor is not smart enough to increase both voltages on crossfire set up. Works individually but as research is showing me now through google that even when you up the volts the 2nd card is stuck with defaulkt voltage, which explains why i cannot get my overclock past 900mhz while crossfiring despite upping volts. Sticking to 870mhz on default volts til i can try to work out how to fix. Again, stupid stupid software from Asus.

1uke · 23 Apr 2010 at 14:51

I emailed Asus yesterday asking if SmartDoctor could overclock both cards and this is the reply I received:

It's synchronized.They will overclock together.So you just manage it in Asus SmartDoctor.

I have sent a reply to that today saying *I have heard there might be a problem adjusting voltage on both cards when in crossfire using SmartDoctor?*. Will keep you updated if I get a reply.

up2nogooduk · 23 Apr 2010 at 14:59

JonnyG1982 said:
Yeah, on reference card the smartdoctor allows core to clock to 1200mhz, on new design it can only clock to 900mhz. One has to wonder which utter tools they have working for these big companies who make amazingly stupid mistakes. I mean honestly. How can they make a card and go on banging about overclocks and then charge more for the card and yet send it out with software which doesnt even work right....twice (1st ref card and smartdoctor stopped tesselation working for some people).

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=236553
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=236553
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?p=1035621981

Im now struggling to overclock my cards because smartdoctor is not smart enough to increase both voltages on crossfire set up. Works individually but as research is showing me now through google that even when you up the volts the 2nd card is stuck with defaulkt voltage, which explains why i cannot get my overclock past 900mhz while crossfiring despite upping volts. Sticking to 870mhz on default volts til i can try to work out how to fix. Again, stupid stupid software from Asus.

I know it's very stupid.
I'm going to RMA mine, as this is not right.
it's like buying a car that say 500bhp, But it's stuck at 300bhp

Why send a card out with this 50% performance stuff when it's not even working.
Asus must have thought, oh bugger it, we will send it out anyway, and sort the software out later.
Not right in my eyes :rolleyes: