How To: Flash Your RX 480 to an RX 580 In 8 Easy Steps!
It has come to our attention that the AMD RX 580 is nothing more than a refined RX 480, and as such, most AIB (add-in board) partners such as ASUS and the rest are simply just putting the refined core on their existing cards, changing the BIOS to say it’s a 580 instead of a 480, and calling it a day. In that case, shouldn’t most, if not all the cards just flash? Well, yes, with all things being correct, they should. What’s there to stop you from doing it yourself? The truth is that there is nothing stopping you unless you’re afraid of bricking your card and/or care for your warranty, both of which are legitimate concerns.
Within this article, I am going to tell you exactly what you need for the flash to take place and where to get the files. Note: I am using an ASUS STRIX RX 480 8GB in this example, but it should be the same for any other vendor. So, without any further time wasting … let’s get into the good stuff!
Why Does This Happen?
There are a few good reasons that a card would be sold as a 4GB video card:
-
It actually contains lower density VRAM, and therefore can never “unlock” to 8GB.
-
Some of its VRAM modules failed testing & validation, and therefore were “locked” to ensure a higher quality, lower density product.
-
Market demand has shifted and supply does not match, and so locks are issued on products to meet demand of said product.
The second option is common, and also happens on the CPU side of the industry (and system memory, for that matter). It is possible that some of the card’s VRAM is not performing to spec, and rather than throwing out the whole card, AMD uses VBIOS to lock utilization to four of the known-good modules on the card.
Risks
There are also a few important risks with attempting a VBIOS flash – and some of those may be obvious, given the above:
-
Flashing VBIOS with a ROM that was not intended for the card could result in immediate “bricking” of the device, rendering it unusable.
-
Flashing VBIOS with a ROM that IS intended for the card could result in the same, if something goes wrong during the process (software failure/lock, power failure, etc.).
-
The warranty is voided.
-
Flashing VBIOS with an 8GB ROM is successful in “unlocking” a card from 4GB to 8GB, but slows down memory performance or exhibits instability relating to VRAM.
Only if reasonably certain that the VRAM modules can accept an 8GB VBIOS should you embark upon this process. We’d generally advise spending the extra money ($240 8GB RX 480) rather than risk a card, but enthusiasts familiar with the process likely know what they’re getting into.
Mitigating Risk
To mitigate risk, we’d suggest using MemoryInfo to validate the ID on the memory modules. We took the more physical approach to this and pulled the shroud off the card (read about that over here) to read the ID on the memory modules.
Make sure the memory module IDs match known IDs of 8GB cards (1GB modules). For example, one of ours uses the ID “SAMSUNG 616 / K4G80325FB-HC25 / GZL0440S.” You can check other tear-downs online and known identifiers to determine which modules are known 1GB (8Gb) modules. Determining that the product legitimately has 1GB modules is the first step, as opposed to 512MB (4Gb) modules that would be impossible to unlock to anything greater than 512MB.
Do not use VBIOS from a card with a completely different design.
Next, we’d suggest exporting a ROM image of your current VBIOS, so that it could be rolled back if absolutely necessary.
Run some benchmarks (FPS benchmarks or synthetic, e.g. 3DMark FireStrike) prior to the flash to build a baseline for performance. Use this later to validate your flash.
Unlocking from 4GB to 8GB
Knowing the risks, having taken mitigating steps, and knowing the “why,” we can now attempt an unlock.
-
You’ll need GPU-Z to validate your video card’s specifications.
That can be downloaded here. -
Download MemoryInfo while at it.
-
Grab ATIFlash 2.7.4.
Use MemoryInfo to validate that the modules are “SAMSUNG 616 / K4G80325FB-HC25.” If you’re opening the card up for a cooling mod anyway, you can check the physical module for this same identifier.
Use GPU-Z to validate the current memory capacity and speed.
Launch ATIFlash 2.7.4 with your 8GB card connected, then click “Save” to export the card’s retail VBIOS. Save this somewhere easily accessible, in case video output is ever lost. Label accordingly. You will use this to import the ROM to your 4GB card. If you do not have an 8GB card, there are ROMs hosted online to help with this procedure – use at your own risk. Research before installing. It is ideal to pull a VBIOS that matches your card – if using a reference model, grab a reference VBIOS.
Above: Backing up the current ROM should be done first.
Use the “Load” button to load your 8GB ROM, then click “Program.” Do not touch the computer. Let it do its thing.
Once complete, restart the system. Check GPU-Z to see if 8GB GDDR5 is seen, then check AMD WattMan to ensure that it is reporting the same specs as GPU-Z. You should also see 2000MHz for the memory clock, rather than 1750MHz.
Run stress testing software (3DMark’s FireStrike Stress Test is good) for a long period to validate that slowness and instability are not present.
If everything looks good, call it a success and carry on. If you’ve got flickering or crashing issues, or just low memory speed, it may be the case that some modules failed validation or that the VBIOS is not functional on this card. Reprogram your old VBIOS that you saved, then rollback to it.
Again, this is entirely at your risk. You could end up with a dead card if not conducted perfectly, or if the card just doesn’t accept the VBIOS.
Editorial: Steve “Lelldorianx” Burke
Video: Andrew “ColossalCake” Coleman
ASUS Radeon RX 480, 8GB GDDR5 (256 Bit), 2xHDMI, DVI, 2xDP — Video cards
| Original part number | STRIX-RX480-O8G-GAMING |
| Product name | ASUS Radeon RX 480, 8GB GDDR5 (256 Bit), 2xHDMI, DVI, 2xDP |
| Producer | Asus |
| Class of product | Graphics card |
| Technical parameters | Technical parameters |
| Chipset producer | AMD |
| Chipset type | Radeon RX 480 |
| Cooling type | Active |
| Memory bus | 256-bit |
| Memory type | DDR5 |
| Installed video memory | 8192MB |
| Processor clock | 1330MHz1310MHz |
| Memory clock (effective) | 8000MHz |
| Maximal image resolution | 7680 x 4320 pixels |
| External connectors | External connectors |
| Type of bus connector | PCI-E 3. 0 |
| DVI interface | 1 Pcs |
| HDMI connector | 2 Pcs |
| DisplayPort connector | 2 Pcs |
| Additional features | Additional features |
| Supported standards | OpenGL 4.5 |
| AMD CrossFire/CrossFireX support | No |
| NVIDIA SLI support | to |
| Support for multiple monitors | Yes |
| HDCP Support | Yes |
| Low profile card | No |
| Low-profile bracket bundle | No |
| Additional information | LED lighting |
| Other information | Other information |
| Software included | ASUS GPU Tweak IIDrivers |
| Width | 29. 8cm |
| Height | 13.4cm |
| Depth | 4cm |
| More info | www.asus.com [LINK] |
Transportation of an order valued over 69€ in Estonia — free of charge.
The exact delivery time is indicated in the «Availability» section.
Just add the item to your shopping cart and you can choose one of the following delivery methods:
Photopoint Dealership
Place your order online and pick it up at a Photopoint Dealership.
This way, it won’t cost you a cent to pick up the item because there are no postage costs when ordering to a store, even if the cost of the order is below 69 €.
You will be notified by e-mail when the goods arrive at the dealership.
Photopoint has representative offices in Tallinn and Tartu. More detailed information about the location of stores and contact details can be found here.
Omniva parcel machine
Choose any Omniva parcel machine that suits you. When the parcel arrives at the machine, you will receive an SMS notification with a unique code. Come to the machine, enter the code and take the package. Everything is so simple. Omniva postal machines are located outside the buildings, so you can receive the parcel at any time convenient for you.
You can select the nearest postal machine in the shopping cart of the Photopoint online store from the list in the list of delivery methods. You can see all the locations of Omniva post machines here.
SmartPOST parcel machine
What if it’s closer and more convenient for you to get to the SmartPOST parcel machine? If so, then select this option in the Photopointi online store in the basket. As soon as the parcel arrives at the place, you will receive an SMS with a unique code. Go to the place, enter the code and receive the package. Fast and simple.
The location of SmartPOST postal machines can be viewed here.
Parcel collection point DPD Pakipood
Be sure to pay attention to where the DPD Pakipood pick-up and drop-off points are located. They are even in some small villages. Select the appropriate DPD Pakipood from the shopping cart. As soon as the parcel arrives at the place, you will receive an SMS with a notification. Go to the place, show your ID and pick up the package.
The location of the DPD Pakipood points can be viewed here.
SmartPOST postal machine in Finland
Order goods for yourself in Finland or send to a friend there.
SmartPOST Finland postal machines work just as easily as those in Estonia. Choose the appropriate SmartPOST Finland machine in the shopping cart in the online store. As soon as the parcel arrives at the place, you will receive an SMS with a unique code. Go to the place, enter the code and take the parcel.
The location of SmartPOST Finland parcel machines can be found here.
Matkahuolto parcel pick-up point in Finland
Order goods to Finland for yourself or a friend. On the Photopoint page, in the «basket» section, select the Matkahuolto pick-up point that is convenient for you and place an order. As soon as the package arrives at your chosen point, you will receive an SMS notification or an email notification. The parcel can be received on the basis of an identity document.
Matkahuolto pick-up points see here.
Home by courier Omniva
«Courier» does not mean that you have to order goods home.
