Sapphire HD 4870 X2 Atomic Watercooled

W1zzard · Dec 16, 2008

Sapphire's new HD 4870 X2 Atomic Watercooled is a special edition of the popular dual-RV770 design that comes with a prefilled watercooling kit that also includes a waterbock for your processor. Being delivered in a nice aluminum case there are a load of extra accessories ranging from software to cabling - but the price tag is also outstanding: over $600.

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newtekie1 · Dec 19, 2008

Wow, seem really gimicky, slap a cheap water cooling setup(and I mean really cheap, the full coverage block probably cost 90% of the overall price) and sell it for $100 more.

Cheap plastic lines scares me, they will eventually crack and leak, especially if you move them alot.

Also, were those temps with the CPU waterblock in use, or just the video card? I don't think a single 120m radiator would be enough to cooler a high end CPU and this card, especially not with the rest of the setup being weak.

CrossFire will work with any HD 4870 / 4870 X2 from any mamn

I assume that should be manufacturer.

mlee49 · Dec 19, 2008

Great review Wiz. I'm really impressed with the new addition of the Folding@Home chart! Great addition!

Apocolypse007 · Dec 19, 2008

This watercooling setup disappoints me. I would have rather seen a better quality build that just concerns the card and not the cpu. There is no reason someone couldn't run a separate loop for the cpu and let the GPU have its own dedicated cooling.

erocker · Dec 19, 2008

The water cooling setup isn't that bad really. You don't have to mount the pump/block combo to the CPU, but it's there if you want to do it.

Binge · Dec 19, 2008

If you did put it on the CPU the loop would be overloaded. The temps of this WC setup are horrid. I would rather eat cat poo than consider this a solution for a 4870x2.

WarEagleAU · Dec 19, 2008

First things First, W1zz, what is ATI Tools successor and can I download it? I need something that works on Vista X64 as ATITool just wont cut it.

On to the card, the oc is horrendous at best on this card. Im sure with ram sinks on the underside it will help, but a single fan small rad cant cut the mustard. This card runs hot and draws some watts so they should have thought better about it, or used a quality combo from DD, Swiftech, Apogee, et al.

The block looks small but the copper side, from what I see, looks polished. I wonder if anyone tried it out yet?

W1zzard · Dec 20, 2008

WarEagleAU said:
or used a quality combo from DD, Swiftech, Apogee, et al.

it's actually the LCLC (low cost liquid cooling) system from asetek

Pixelated · Dec 24, 2008

How do you justify such a high rating when their are so many negative aspects of this card. I mean why would anyone pay the premium price plus time and setup for a card where the positive aspects of water cooling are negated by a cheap and underpowered setup? Now of course overclocking always varies but with an average 5% OC this setup seems pointless to me unless you are simply buying it as a quieter solution. Even then it comes with it's own radiator and fan which can't be all that quiet.

I would prefer to see them do what BFG Tech does with the Nvidia cards which is offer a full cover water block on a card to add to an existing WC setup. This seems like a good idea but seems to be poorly executed.

rangerone766 · Dec 24, 2008

Binge said:
If you did put it on the CPU the loop would be overloaded. The temps of this WC setup are horrid. I would rather eat cat poo than consider this a solution for a 4870x2.

yum! my cat's litter box does need cleaned. want to come over for dinner. ^_^

i do totally agree with you though. this seems poorly executed.

Hayder_Master · Dec 24, 2008

wow , great price i think it was over 650$ , now i see is 540$ this is smart chose sure , and look for nice package box , great performance , thanx wizzard nice review good work

Mega-Japan · Jan 21, 2009

Just wondering, isn't there a 4870 card (not X2) that also takes a single expansion slot like this?

EDIT: Never mind, found it:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161269

Though it doesn't look as much of an eye candy as this unfortunately...

Laurijan · Jan 25, 2009

Were the rads fins damaged right out of the box?

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Sapphire HD 4870 X2 Atomic Watercooled

W1zzard

Administrator

newtekie1

Semi-Retired Folder

mlee49

Apocolypse007

New Member

erocker

*

Binge

Overclocking Surrealism

WarEagleAU

Bird of Prey

W1zzard

Administrator

Pixelated

New Member

rangerone766

Hayder_Master

Mega-Japan

Laurijan

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