ATi 4xxx Series Review

[flexy]

insanity...we have 4850 in EU now..its only EU138...in other words....give it a few weeks and you can get this card for EU100+/-. Shocked about their pricing...
Eyeing the 4870 tho...

Edit: 4870 EU229..... just found it. Expect this to go down to 180-190 in one/two weeks. Might get one and sell 8800GTS...hehe

 

[JPB]

I read that the HD 4870X2 is going to have a BLACK pcb as well as a BLACK cooler

 

[Martimus]

Originally posted by: epphllps
Not sure if this has been posted, but if it has, it's worth repeating!! Ha Wednesday is Radeon 4870 Day!!!


Being from Fudzilla, take with a grain of salt, but if true, we just have to wait for the online retailers to put them on their sites!!! Going to be tough to get one for the first couple of weeks as I have heard from various sources, though.

Actually the release day is July 8th as shown by the first chart on the Anandtech article.

 

[cheapr]

Newegg has the Sapphire 4870 listed for $309.99 plus $7.59 for 3 day shipping. At first I was able to add it in my cart and go to the specifications page, but now I can only pull it up by searching for Desktop Video Cards/48xx series.

Link to Newegg ATI 4800 Series

When I originally put it in my cart, It stated that it was in stock and limited the quantity to 29. They may have just been prepping the webpage, or it may go live tomorrow.

 

[AmberClad]

@ iBPJohn - Just for clarification, those temperatures were with the fan with no mods done, right? Did you take any readings with the fan at 100%?

 

[bryanW1995]

Originally posted by: ajaidevsingh

Originally posted by: Denithor

Originally posted by: bryanW1995
I'm waiting for nvidia to release the 9800gtXXX to compete in the $300 market...maybe they could have jenna jamison on the box...

...or is that Jenna Jamison's box on the box?

:evil:

Maybe that would drive up sales of video cards (to adolescent boys, anyway).

Maybe a pic of Carmen electra or Paris hilton or Cameron Diaz "All have sumthing common!!"


EDIT:- Just imagine a ATI/Nvidia card on her lap.. `!'

http://www.fatbackmedia.com/ns...johansson_shoot990.jpg

if you even noticed that she had a video card in your lap then you would be ostracized from these forums forever.

 

[bunnyfubbles]

Originally posted by: Martimus

Originally posted by: epphllps
Not sure if this has been posted, but if it has, it's worth repeating!! Ha Wednesday is Radeon 4870 Day!!!


Being from Fudzilla, take with a grain of salt, but if true, we just have to wait for the online retailers to put them on their sites!!! Going to be tough to get one for the first couple of weeks as I have heard from various sources, though.

Actually the release day is July 8th as shown by the first chart on the Anandtech article.

well I'd wager that the AT chart got it wrong...newegg is already sneaking in a 4870 listed @ $309 (shows up under their HD4000 series, but you can't buy it yet), and it isn't like that chart is completely accurate anyways.

Notice how it lists the 4870 lined up to compete with the 9800GTX and the 4850 lined up to compete with the G92 8800 and 9600GT...well the 4850 more than compete with the 9800GTX (so much so that it forced nVidia to immediately announce price cuts as well as paper launch the 9800GTX+) and it clearly/easily outclasses the 8800GT/S and 9600GT...and judging from early reviews/previews of the 4870 it looks like that card gives the GTX260 a run for its money.

It also got the availability of the 4850 off by nearly a week...June 25 is obviously wrong for the 4850, but it might be right for the 4870...

 

[JPB]

Powercolor HD 4870 before they took the pic of the card down.

Wednesday is Radeon 4870 day from Fudzilla

 

[Hauk]

Originally posted by: JPB
Powercolor HD 4870 before they took the pic of the card down.

Wednesday is Radeon 4870 day from Fudzilla

Early bird gets the worm I bet. Let's see, I'm Eastern time and the Egg is Pacific...

 

[Hauk]

Any idea on 4870 card length?

 

[Paratus]

My prediction for tomorrow.

Most of the web shows the 4780 competing well with the GTX260 & encroaching on GTX280 territory.

While HardOCP declares an OC'd 9800GTX the best buy.

posted via Palm Life Drive

 

[JPB]

Originally posted by: SteelSix
Any idea on 4870 card length?

Eastern time here as well. I read that the length of the card, is the same length as the 3870.

 

[Hauk]

Originally posted by: JPB
I read that the length of the card, is the same length as the 3870.

Excellent, I can keep my upper drive cage installed. Two 120mm fans = fan duct..

 

[LittleNemoNES]

Originally posted by: JPB

Originally posted by: SteelSix
Any idea on 4870 card length?

Eastern time here as well. I read that the length of the card, is the same length as the 3870.

JPB -- your sig is hilarious

 

[Hauk]

Yea I thought that was pretty good too...

 

[Syntax Error]

Originally posted by: AmberClad
@ iBPJohn - Just for clarification, those temperatures were with the fan with no mods done, right? Did you take any readings with the fan at 100%?

Those temps seem a bit too high to be 100%. Perhaps they were running at default speed? I've heard some talk about the fan running at 14%, kinda like the 8800GT 29% fan speed back in October.

 

[OCGuy]

Originally posted by: gersson

Originally posted by: JPB

Originally posted by: SteelSix
Any idea on 4870 card length?

Eastern time here as well. I read that the length of the card, is the same length as the 3870.

JPB -- your sig is hilarious

Seeing as how the 4870 competes with the 260 and not the 280, I was correct. I find it hilarious as well

 

[Paratus]

Damn!

Ocguy seems to have us in the crushing grip of reason!


posted via Palm Life Drive

 

[JPB]

Originally posted by: Ocguy31

Originally posted by: gersson

Originally posted by: JPB

Originally posted by: SteelSix
Any idea on 4870 card length?

Eastern time here as well. I read that the length of the card, is the same length as the 3870.

JPB -- your sig is hilarious

Seeing as how the 4870 competes with the 260 and not the 280, I was correct. I find it hilarious as well

Well, then you better hope these early benches isn't real then. Because even if the ATI card wins in a few games, and it probably will. Then we will see how hilarious my sig really is.

But if your looking for an argument, you can go elsewhere.

 

[Hauk]

Originally posted by: Syntax Error

Originally posted by: AmberClad
@ iBPJohn - Just for clarification, those temperatures were with the fan with no mods done, right? Did you take any readings with the fan at 100%?

Those temps seem a bit too high to be 100%. Perhaps they were running at default speed? I've heard some talk about the fan running at 14%, kinda like the 8800GT 29% fan speed back in October.

Fan speed adjustments are a top priority. Unwinder to the rescue?

 

[Vesper8]

maybe this was already posted but it isn't included in the first thread yet..

http://en.expreview.com/2008/0...w-hd-4870-and-hd-4850/

this is the ENGLISH "first review" of the 4870

 

[ddarko]

Originally posted by: Ocguy31

Originally posted by: gersson

Originally posted by: JPB

Originally posted by: SteelSix
Any idea on 4870 card length?

Eastern time here as well. I read that the length of the card, is the same length as the 3870.

JPB -- your sig is hilarious

Seeing as how the 4870 competes with the 260 and not the 280, I was correct. I find it hilarious as well

The funniest thing is that you seem completely oblivious to how sad and deluded you are. It's like comedy gold for the rest of us reading your posts. The 4870 costs hundreds of dollars less than both the 260 and 280. Are you not familiar with the concept of money? If it turns out to be competitive with the 260, that's impressive; if it turns out to occasionally match the 280, that's mindblowing. If you can't appreciate a Honda going neck-and-neck with a BMW and occasionally running with a Ferrari, you're foolish. And please pretty please keep your promise:

Originally posted by: Ocguy31
I think im over "Video Cards and Graphics" on this site. Ill head on back up to "CPUS and Overclocking" where, amazingly, there is less emotional discussion - it is mostly fact-based.

And here's two of his "fact-based" discussions:

Originally posted by: Ocguy31
Speaking of turd, the 4850 is benching right around a 8800GT, sometimes less. How long ago was that card put out???

Originally posted by: Ocguy31
The 4850 looks like a lock to compete with the 8800GT though.

 

[JPB]

The HD 4870X2 is a member of the 48** series as well. I wonder what his response will be when it's released ?

Probably something to the extent of, well...its a two gpu card.

In that preview already shown...in a few games, it does compete with the GTX 280. Does that make the GTX a bad card ? No, not in performance, but in price it does.

But this isnt the thread for that. So ill stop there.

 

[Mistwalker]

Originally posted by: Vesper8
maybe this was already posted but it isn't included in the first thread yet..

http://en.expreview.com/2008/0...w-hd-4870-and-hd-4850/

this is the ENGLISH "first review" of the 4870

Interesting indeed, the 4870 easily stands toe-to-toe with the GX260 and gives the GX280 a run for its money in several tests.

It's frustrating to see many benches where the 512GB of memory is obviously holding the 4800 series cards back, here's hoping the 1GB models are available soon and decently priced.

One thing I don't understand though: the power consumption. According to that review the 4870 runs smoking hot and consumes the same power under load as a GX280, which is insane. Smaller manufacturing process, half the memory, far lower transistor count, and I thought GDDR5 was supposed to use less power than GDDR3? Can someone explain what I'm missing here? Because at those power requirements and temps, a 4870x2 might melt the surrounding circuitry...

 

[lopri]

Yes, the cards are way too hot for my liking, to be frank. I'll probably get one regardless but I have never been a fan of heat. On the other hand, I don't care as much about the power consumption as long as my PSU can handle it.

One of the reasons I like my HD 3850 is the PowerPlay. It's pretty nice that GPU usage goes up and down and I can actually see it. (so does the temp)

As for the behaviors of HD 4850/4870, I'm afraid that it's not something drivers can fix. Apparently the fans are not spinning fast enough and/or the idle clock speed is too high, and this kind of stuff can usually be fixed via BIOS flash.