Now that the GTX 260 is the same price as the 4870...

[nib95]

Do you guys still think the 4870 is the better deal? Now I'm just confused, and I'm considering the GTX 260. Which performs better, namely in Crysis? I'm getting mixed reports.

Main thing I still like about the 260 is that it runs cooler and more efficient. It also has more ram, that said, the 4870 uses GDDR5 and has DX10.1 support. So is the 4870 the more future proof (better?) card?

 

[bnlitin]

Where is GTX 260 priced at $299?

I've seen $379-400 at Newegg for GTX260.

 

[Schadenfroh]

Originally posted by: bnlitin
Where is GTX 260 priced at $299?

GeForce GTX 260 for... $260 AR

 

[HOOfan 1]

Originally posted by: bnlitin
Where is GTX 260 priced at $299?

I've seen $379-400 at Newegg for GTX260.

MSI Version

I would say 6 of one half a dozen of the other.

HD4870 is faster in some games and GTX 260 is faster in others. The HD4870 is faster in the lower resolutions too, the GTX 260 only comes out ahead in 2560x1600 for the most part.

 

[natty1]

which card is quieter between 260 and 4870

 

[nitromullet]

At the same price, it's pretty much a wash... HardOCP actually has some good info on these two cards with Crysis:

http://enthusiast.hardocp.com/...w0LCxoZW50aHVzaWFzdA==

I tried out the settings they used with my 4870... They look pretty good, and the fps is definitely playable.

 

[nitromullet]

Originally posted by: natty1
which card is quieter between 260 and 4870

Also about the same...

 

[alcoholbob]

While probably not worth their cost by the nVidia GT200 series does very well in the minimum fps department, which is important in determining how smooth a game plays.

 

[Cookie Monster]

Buy whatever's cheaper.

 

[Quiksilver]

Originally posted by: nib95
Do you guys still think the 4870 is the better deal? Now I'm just confused, and I'm considering the GTX 260. Which performs better, namely in Crysis? I'm getting mixed reports.

Main thing I still like about the 260 is that it runs cooler and more efficient. It also has more ram, that said, the 4870 uses GDDR5 and has DX10.1 support. So is the 4870 the more future proof (better?) card?

Yes, 4870 is the better deal unless PhyX and Cuda is really how on your priority list.

..and that's kinda, I just check anandtech, firing squad, and hardocp(read apples to apples), all of them show the 4870 performing better than gtx 260. I would be willing to say that all other reviews are the same.

Actually once ATI fixes powerplay so that the card throttles down properly at idle, it will more than likely be lower than a gtx260. Heat I'm not sure about, because with a little xml editing you can probably drop it down a pretty decent amount and it wouldn't void the warranty.

My vote goes towards the 4870, more performance for less money.

 

[nib95]

In the UK, the versions I want are exactly the same price. Like a £1 difference lol. BFG GTX 260 and HIS 4870 that is. Now I'm more confused than ever.

 

[kotrtim]

Assuming that you have an Intel Chipset mainboard, you can add another ATi card in crossfire mode.

 

[nib95]

Originally posted by: kotrtim
Assuming that you have an Intel Chipset mainboard, you can add another ATi card in crossfire mode.

I'm not interested in SLI or Crossfire. I'd much prefer to sell off my card and buy a 4870 X2 (etc) instead.

 

[bryanW1995]

Originally posted by: nib95
In the UK, the versions I want are exactly the same price. Like a £1 difference lol. BFG GTX 260 and HIS 4870 that is. Now I'm more confused than ever.

most sites show the 4870 as a 5-10% performance advantage over gtx 260. that translates to $15-30 US lower price needed for gtx 260 to be competitive. that msi card for $260 does the trick nicely vs a $310 hd 4870, but if they're the same price in your area it's hard to recommend gtx 260 over 4870.

 

[desolate]

I don't regret my 4870 purchase at all, I love my new video card and choosing ATI over Nvidia this time feels refreshing. However, if the GTX260 had lowered it's price before I bought my 4870, I would have gone with whatever was cheapest.

 

[RapidSnail]

Since performance and price are roughly equal, maybe we should look at temperature, power, and even noise.

 

[nib95]

Originally posted by: RapidSnail
Since performance and price are roughly equal, maybe we should look at temperature, power, and even noise.

Nvidia would probably win all of those (by a fraction, expect power usage, which is much better with the 200's). That said, more important to me are the features. And it's that GDDR5 and DX 10.1 in the 4800's that are tempting me. They are essentially, a gen ahead, seeing as how Nvidia plan to release a similar feature set in 09. Question is, will any of those features help today or before the next gen of video cards?

 

[Magusigne]

GDDR5 versus 384 bit 868mb its a pretty decent tossup.

 

[nib95]

Originally posted by: Powernick50
GDDR5 versus 384 bit 868mb its a pretty decent tossup.

Can anyone give an informed opinion on which they think would be more useful? One thing I will say, the 3 games I'll be playing most, Orange Box, Crysis and Bioshock, the 4870 seems to perform best.

However, I'm also considering playing Oblivion again. Which I think does and probably will run better on the G260. Especially with texture mods added, which may take up more than 512mb of ram.

 

[Magusigne]

in bioshock freaking ATI cards rule by like 30-40% increase in FPS...kinda a wierd sitation

 

[lopri]

Holy wow. GTX 260 for $260 AR?! I had to look twice.

 

[lopri]

Wonder what's going to happen to GTX 280?

 

[OCGuy]

Well that puts a turd in the ATi punchbowl.......! That is, until the X2 takes the single-card crown.

 

[Piuc2020]

The only thing, feature-wise, the HD 4870 has above the GTX 260 is DX 10.1, GDDR5 is irrelevant because the higher width bus on the GTX 260 compensates for it. As for DX10.1, I don't think it'll ever matter and DX11 is not too far away anyways.

Still I think I'd go with an HD 4870, ATI's drivers are updated more frequently and consistently and with the 55nm process I'd think the HD 4870 runs cooler and draws less power than the GTX 260 but of course, I could be wrong I haven't really checked a power usage chart comparing the HD 4870 to the GTX 260.

 

[Leon]

I'd think the HD 4870 runs cooler and draws less power than the GTX 260

No, the power use is similar at load and higher while idling.