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AMD RX Vega GPUs released along with a new AMDGPU-PRO Driver

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The brand new line of AMD GPUs are upon us, with the release of AMD RX Vega along with a new AMDGPU-PRO Driver.

To enable Vega to play nicely on Linux, you either need the PRO driver with it's limited distribution support, or a custom kernel with the AMD DC patches, which Vega requires. I really don't think that's a good state, since Mesa is generally better supported than the PRO driver now and getting a custom Kernel isn't exactly user friendly. Hopefully it won't be too long before the patches AMD needs get accepted, so we don't have to mess around with any of that nonsense.

Vega currently comes in three flavours:
  • Radeon RX Vega 64 (liquid cooled): 8GB HBM2 VRAM, clock speed of 1406MHz (boost 1677Mhz) TDP 345 watts
  • Radeon RX Vega 64 (air cooled): 8GB HBM2 VRAM, clock speed of 1247MHz (boost 1546MHz), TDP 295 watts
  • Radeon RX Vega 56: 8GB HBM2 VRAM, clock speed of 1156MHz (boost 1471MHz), TDP 210 watts


I should note, that only Vega 64 is available to buy now as the Radeon RX Vega 56 doesn't launch until August 28th, but the embargo has lifted on all of it today.

We don't have any benchmarks, since we have no AMD contacts. However, Phoronix has a few since AMD sent him hardware. Seems like they perform pretty well in most cases, but their Vulkan performance was a little underwhelming.

Will you be getting one? I'm still totally unsure who I will be going with next, but the performance does seem enticing. Luckily my 980ti will likely last until the generation after this. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Tags: AMD, Drivers, Hardware
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I am the owner of GamingOnLinux. After discovering Linux back in the days of Mandrake in 2003, I constantly came back to check on the progress of Linux until Ubuntu appeared on the scene and it helped me to really love it. You can reach me easily by emailing GamingOnLinux directly. Find me on Mastodon.
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lejimster Aug 14, 2017
Still can't see these cards even for pre-order in the UK.
*Scratch that, they've finally started appearing. Just not coming up on google shopping the last time I checked.* I'm thinking of picking up the 56 with a custom cooler if it isn't ridiculously overpriced. I think there is quite a bit more to come with optimisations and features to be enabled.


Last edited by lejimster on 14 August 2017 at 4:31 pm UTC
Linas Aug 14, 2017
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I intended to buy an RX 580, but they are completely sold out, or sold at prices not much lower than Vega. So I will get Vega instead. But I think I will wait for 56, because 64 seems overpowered for what I need.

Available in Denmark for about €540, which is quite reasonable. https://www.komplett.dk/kampagne/41019/amd-vega
opera Aug 14, 2017
TDP of 345 Watts is just insane.
Plintslîcho Aug 14, 2017
Should I move close to a power plant with a direct connection I might consider getting one of those new AMD GPUs. But for the time being I'm fine with my nVidia GTX 970.

Seriously, there aren't enough games that I play that would justify getting such a powerful (and power guzzling) graphics card. Besides, I just build myself a new computer around a Ryzen CPU and that was quite a rough ride. I definitely have had enough of trying something "new" and AMD for now.


Last edited by Plintslîcho on 14 August 2017 at 6:51 pm UTC
slaapliedje Aug 14, 2017
Quoting: operaTDP of 345 Watts is just insane.

Good god, isn't the idea of new tech to take less power, but be more powerful?
Luke_Nukem Aug 14, 2017
Quoting: operaTDP of 345 Watts is just insane.

That's more than my house water pump uses. That's more than *all* the LED lights in my house. That's more than my TV and PS4 combined. That's more than 3x the usage of my current PC. That's almost as much as our house uses at night with gf watching TV and me coding.

That's a fucking insane amount of power to be drawing! I sure as shit won't be getting one.
natewardawg Aug 14, 2017
I might get one in a few months if I have the cash to spare. Sounds exciting! :)
TheRiddick Aug 14, 2017
In all they perform at 1070 levels, neglecting bioshock inf which has special sauce optimizations which 99.99% of other games don't get. VEGA certainly doesn't impress me because I'm a 4k gamer, but those at 1080p and 1440p should be happy with them, BIG cards however, needs a BIG PSU!
dpanter Aug 14, 2017
I was going to enjoy my new RX580 that arrived today and watch with anticipation if/when Vega matured for Linux use, perhaps even hope for it to become a viable upgrade... but the RX580 was frikkin DEAD on arrival.
Like mentioned above, they are stupid hard to get a hold of.
So my day was good... ish... /cry :(

Maybe a Vega then, if prices aren't stupid and you can actually get one. :S:
TheRiddick Aug 14, 2017
IMO Vega is a love letter to coin miners. Gamers should look elsewhere. Seriously their 4k results for Vega are vomit inducing! (even on windows)
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