Lecture Notes: Overview of the AMD Radeon Pro W6800X Dual GPU

Introduction

Topic: Exploring the AMD Radeon Pro W6800X Dual GPU
Significance: Potentially the last-ever-made consumer dual GPU graphics card
Context: Dual GPU cards were popular from 2005 to 2014
- Last consumer dual GPU by Nvidia: Titan Z (2014)
- Last consumer dual GPU by AMD: Radeon Pro Duo (2016)

Design: Large, sleek, black design, reminiscent of Nvidia Founder’s Edition cards
Components: MPX Module (unique to Mac components)
Cooling: No fans, relies on Mac Pro's case fans
Connectors: PCIe x16 interface, MPX connectors (increased pin density)
Power Consumption: Rated TDP up to 400W
Heat Management: Wide fin stack, thermal putty for memory modules
Ports: HDMI, Thunderbolt (display connection), CrossFire connector for multi-GPU setups

Construction: Complicated due to Apple’s design; requires precise handling to avoid damage
Thermal Measures: Use of thermal putty, black thermal compound on specific components
Key Components: Dual GPUs, VRMs, massive heatsink, memory modules
Bridge Chip: Microchip 52x is 64 (52 PCIe lanes) for combining both GPUs to PCIe x16 slot

Challenges: Ensuring adequate voltage/power, handling thermal constraints
Detection Issues: Initial failure to detect card in a Windows system
Solution: Use of Apple’s Boot Camp driver
Output: GPU-Z detects dual GPUs, basic display output driver works; limited testing due to power/debug constraints
Performance: Successfully ran parts of 3D Mark Time Spy, indicative of high performance
Comparison: Performance better than 7900XDX or 4080 in rendered tests

Initial Success: Card runs and displays on Windows via specific drivers
Further Testing Needed: Address potential power delivery issues, consider better cooling solutions
Potential: Future video on deeper performance tests, custom cooling solutions
Collaboration: Credit to German YouTuber Manuel from Hardware Deals for Boot Camp driver tip

Wrap-up: Thanks for tuning in, stay tuned for follow-up videos testing the card