[SOLVED] XFX R9 280X It Simply Won't Work

[Fl0r!an]

Both Cinebench and CoH2 are very CPU demanding (especially in OS X, due to high CPU overhead in drivers/APIs), so you're most likely bottlenecked by your CPU (especially since you don't have turbo boost working).

I'd suggest to fix the turbo boost (generating a SSDT should usually do it), this should increase the performance quite a bit.

 

[caniggia]

thank you for your answer!
I am following your suggestion. getting some errors but I will manage

If I get turbo boost working it will surely be a performance advantage, but I still believe that my GPU has power related problems.
so one more noobish question if I may...
Does DSDTs and SSDTs play any role on the power management of the GPU ? shall I start playing with my modified DSDT settings after I am finished with the SSDT? are there other more related to GPU topics/files I should focus on?
just looking for any info available to better focus my searches

thanks in advance

 

[Fl0r!an]

GPU power management should usually work fine without doing anything. Once I had some trouble, which was fixed by switching the SMBIOS. Using iMac14,2 is very universal at the moment, it should work with any GPU.

If you're unsure about your GPU's performance, I'd suggest to run Luxmark and report back your scores.

 

[caniggia]

YESSS!!! it was a rom problem! After testing all Gigabyte, Asus and Sapphire 280X Roms I thought I ll try XFX originals once more. the first Rom for Black edition did the job. and this one from the DD edition
So now memory clock went to 1080Mhz or 1000Mhz (depending on the rom)
Luxmark to 11900
CoH2 to 23 (but with recommended settings much higher than before)
and .....
temperatures climbed 10 degrees....
watt when idle went from 80W to 130W .....
and Siri is the same boring assistant that she ever was ....

so now only Turbo-Boost left

Thanx Fl0r!an !! you lighted the path for me!!

 

[caniggia]

no, it looks pretty good. check the png.
still though, I can't reach top performance I think. maybe when I fix the turbo boost issue.
For now when I don't have a need for "heavy duty" graphics(which is most of the times) I load with a Gigabyte 280X rom, Mac sees it as a 150Mhz clock and I have a 30watt power drop...
no sideffects

 

[caniggia]

I am far from experienced hackintosh user but your PCIe Lane Width is the first thing i'd worry about. Should be "x16" not "x8".
on the other hand I have no idea how hackintoshes handle crossfire. maybe if you plug off one card and try single GPU to see if there are changes?
Do you use a DSDT file?

In my case Luxmark Bench was very helpful.
run it and check the panel at the right side of the program window. check the clocks and specs if they are the originals of XFX DDblack.
Check my post above, in my case with the wrong rom my card was recognised as 150Mhz (!!) and my score was much lower

 

[Fl0r!an]

Looks perfectly fine to me.

 

[caniggia]

Your Luxmark scores are great. in a point that I definitely worry about mine......
the only fact I can see is that with the rom you flashed your cards are working ar 1000Mhz while the black edition runs at 1080Mhz.
Still in my Lexmark at 1080Mhz I get a score of 11900 which is way lower that half yours....
DSDT is the harder part of hackintoshing but if yours is working without one then this is much better. it is better to avoid DSDTs if you can.
If I were you I would search for more tests and compare but I think you are fine.

 

[caniggia]

as far as I can understand, no. performance and stability is what is important. if your system is as fast as it could and stable then I say you are good. Take me for example, my card is recognised as 280x but it runs slower than yours. so....

 

[Fl0r!an]

It's all covered here: https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/radeon-compatibility-guide-ati-amd-graphics-cards.171291/