PC Graphics

[rockollicheddar]

I'm looking for the fastest card that supports this feature on Windows 8.1 and it seems like its the R9 300 series or possibly the RX480. I can't find anyone reporting that their RX480 ever worked with this feature but it doesn't seem like its a super popular card. I was wondering if anyone here has it working.

Zerocore appears to be broken in Windows 10 so its a no go there.

[pokester]

AMD cards no longer support Windows 8.1 and have not for several years now. 

[rockollicheddar]

I'm understand the situation with Windows 8.1 drivers. Drivers need only exist for my purposes, which they do.

My question is simply if anyone has used zerocore successfully on a rx480, whether on Windows 7 or 8.1 isn't that important.

[hardcoregames_]

Cannot say for windows 8, as I do not use that anymore. In Windows 10 I see on my R5 3600 core parking but I am not certain about my RX 480 as there is no CU view to show me.

[rockollicheddar]

I don't believe zerocore works at all on Windows 10 based on the threads I've read, something about the driver model changing and breaking it. You also have to be using DVI/VGA, it doesn't work on DP/HDMI.

The fans would be off on the card while the screen was powered off. That doesn't indicate for sure it is in zerocore state since some cards shut their fan off with low temps but it always happens with zerocore.

[hardcoregames_]

rockollicheddar wrote:

I don't believe zerocore works at all on Windows 10 based on the threads I've read, something about the driver model changing and breaking it. You also have to be using DVI/VGA, it doesn't work on DP/HDMI.

The fans would be off on the card while the screen was powered off. That doesn't indicate for sure it is in zerocore state since some cards shut their fan off with low temps but it always happens with zerocore.

Zero fans is a noise reduction feature as many older machines were so noisy that it drowned out birds outside etc

[rockollicheddar]

Yes, I agree. But it also happens when zerocore starts in my experience. The best way to test would be with kill-a-watt but I know most people don't have one.

[hardcoregames_]

I have a couple of kill-a-watt that I bought for studying power consumption but my Corsair PSU can show real power consumption as well

[rockollicheddar]

Nice. Well, I guess the test would be to plug in one monitor to DVI/VGA and wait for idle windows desktop. Then set monitor to turn off after 1 minute. The GPU fans should turn off (assuming they weren't already shutdown) with the monitor and you'd see a noteworthy (probably 5+ watt) drop in power consumption once the fans shut off.

But again, from what I've read this feature just doesn't work with Windows 10.

[hardcoregames_]

I use the power saver plan to minimize overall power consumption. It has no adverse effect on gaming so I figure when I am not playing games that the machine can do its best for the EPA mandate.

[elstaci]

Zero RPM feature on GPU cards are compatible with Windows 10 since the GPU cards that has that Feature came out when Windows 10 was available.

Some GPU driver or possibly in BIOS may override the Zero RPM feature but normally you have to do it manually in the Driver's settings or in BIOS.

I believe Zero RPM feature is normally enabled in Windows.

[hardcoregames_]

If you install Radeon drivers and select a factory reset, 20.4.2 enables Zero RPM on supported cards.

When I tested video cards I observed for BIOS presented, my X470 machine has no SSD or hard disk, waiting on parts so it is perfect for testing cards

[elstaci]

Just need for you to clarify something, When you mention "Zerocore" are your talking about "Zero RPM" feature that are incorporated in most latest GPU cards?

Where if the GPU temperature is below ~55c - 60C, the GPU fans won't turn on? Only when the Temps go above ~55C - 60C will the GPU fans automatically turn on?

I believe the the RX5xx series GPU cards have the "Zero RPM" feature. Not sure about the RX4xx series GPU cards.

[hardcoregames_]

elstaci wrote:

Just need for you to clarify something, When you mention "Zerocore" are your talking about "Zero RPM" feature that are incorporated in most latest GPU cards?

Where if the GPU temperature is below ~55c - 60C, the GPU fans won't turn on? Only when the Temps go above ~55C - 60C will the GPU fans automatically turn on?

I believe the the RX5xx series GPU cards have the "Zero RPM" feature. Not sure about the RX4xx series GPU cards.

My Sapphire RX 480 8GB OC has zero fan and when I am not using it, the fans are off, GPU-Z shows 0 rpm.

My R9 Fury does not have zero fan

[rockollicheddar]

No, not zero RPM. Zerocore or Zero Core. Introduced around 2012 or so. While the fan shuts off in this mode, that is not what is special about it. The card is basically shutoff (its triggered by the monitor going to standby) and it uses standby power of perhaps 1 watt as opposed to the 5-15watts that are typical. My experience has been that only the fan shutting down saves about a watt or so.

Here is anandtech's writeup on it.

Managing Idle Power: Introducing ZeroCore Power - AMD Radeon HD 7970 Review: 28nm And Graphics Core ... 

[elstaci]

Thanks for the explanation. I wasn't aware of that particular feature in previous GPU cards.