Revealed at Computex, AMD’s new RX 480 GPU is set to offer an unprecedented price/performance value for mainstream gamers. Set to arrive with over 5 TFLOPs of performance, the new Polaris based GPU features GCN 4 for improved performance and efficiency. Ahead of the June 29th launch, we’re now getting our first glimpse at what a custom card may look like. The first card to be leaked is the SAPPHIRE RX 480 NITRO.
Being a highly efficient and relatively low TDP card, it’s not surprising to see that Sapphire has gone with a dual fan solution for the RX 480 NITRO. The card comes as a relatively slim dual slot solution and barely pokes above the PCIe bracket. Sapphire has also included an LED backlit logo that can respond to either temperature, fan speed or to a users created custom profile. This mirrors what AIB partners have done for the GTX 1080 and GTX 1070 and likely for this upcoming generation of mainstream+ GPUs.
In addition to the NITRO, Sapphire is also doing a reference model as well. unlike the Founders Edition which is severely locked down by Nvidia, AMD is letting their partners place a logo on the reference models as well as add a backplate. This gives the Rx 480 reference models a bit more of premium feel.
According to other sources, some retail outlets have already received their first shipments of the RX 480. This means AMD is unlikely to suffer any delays, with only shortages as a worse case scenario. Once launched, we may see Nvidia dominate the performance/enthusiast market while AMD sweeps the mainstream unchallenged.
