The AMD Radeon RX 480 is a highly anticipated graphics card that marks a significant milestone in the Polaris architecture. As a mid-range GPU, it offers an impressive blend of performance and power efficiency, making it an attractive option for gamers and enthusiasts alike. The OC (overclocked) variant takes things to the next level by pushing clock speeds to new heights.

Design and Cooling

The RX 480 OC features a sleek and compact design, with a dual-fan cooler that effectively dissipates heat generated by the GPU. The fans are relatively quiet and spin at moderate speeds, even under heavy loads. While it’s not the most aggressive cooling solution, it gets the job done without sacrificing too much noise.

Performance

The RX 480 OC is powered by AMD’s Polaris 10 GPU, which boasts a massive 2304 stream processors and 144 texture units. Clock speeds are bumped up to 1340 MHz base and 1455 MHz boost, resulting in improved performance compared to the standard RX 480. In synthetic benchmarks like 3DMark Fire Strike, the OC variant scores around 15-20% higher than its non-overclocked counterpart.

In real-world gaming tests, the RX 480 OC delivers impressive frame rates at high resolutions and detail settings. It easily handles popular titles like Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, The Witcher 3, and Overwatch at 1080p (1920×1080) and 1440p (2560×1440), with few drops in frame rate.

Power Consumption

One of the RX 480 OC’s strongest assets is its power efficiency. With a TDP of just 150W, it consumes significantly less power than Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1060 or 1070 GPUs. This makes it an excellent choice for those who want to build a high-performance gaming PC without breaking the bank.

Memory and Interface

The RX 480 OC features 4GB or 8GB of GDDR5 memory, depending on the specific model. The 256-bit memory bus ensures efficient data transfer between the GPU and system RAM.

Comparison to Competitors

When compared to Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1060 or AMD’s own Radeon RX 470, the RX 480 OC holds its ground. While it may not quite match the GTX 1070 in terms of performance, it offers similar power efficiency and a lower price point.

Conclusion

The AMD Radeon RX 480 OC is an excellent mid-range graphics card that delivers impressive performance at an affordable price. With its Polaris 10 GPU, overclocked clock speeds, and efficient cooling solution, it’s an attractive option for gamers who want to upgrade their system without sacrificing too much power or noise.

Technical Specifications:

• GPU: AMD Radeon RX 480 (Polaris 10)
• Clock Speeds: 1340 MHz base / 1455 MHz boost
• Memory: 4GB or 8GB GDDR5
• Memory Bus: 256-bit
• Power Consumption: 150W TDP
• Cooling Solution: Dual-fan cooler with moderate fan speeds
• Compatibility: PCIe x16 slot, DirectX 12, Vulkan

Comparison to Competitors:

• Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060: Similar performance but higher power consumption (120-130W)
• AMD Radeon RX 470: Lower performance and lower clock speeds (1266 MHz base / 1314 MHz boost)
• Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070: Higher performance but higher power consumption (150-170W)