Sapphire Radeon HD 4850 X2 2048 MB

[CY:G]

Someone needs to explain to me in detail how the hell is this doing better than the 4870x2, it has to be a mistake...

Im in denial to be honest, i feel kind of bad for getting the 4870x2 , someone tell me it wasn't a bad choice....

 

[jbunch07]

Someone needs to explain to me in detail how the hell is this doing better than the 4870x2, it has to be a mistake...

Im in denial to be honest, i feel kind of bad for getting the 4870x2 , someone tell me it wasn't a bad choice....

It wasn't a bad choice! I Have one! I love the thing. I'm very glad I bought it. However I'm still dumbfounded about the results. I think drivers for the 4870 X2 still need work.

 

[CY:G]

It wasn't a bad choice! I Have one! I love the thing. I'm very glad I bought it. However I'm still dumbfounded about the results. I think drivers for the 4870 X2 still need work.

I have ALWAYS supported ATI (yes even in the 2900 days) but this kind of thing makes me really distrust them.

Im pretty sure they had the 4850x2 ready around the time the 4870x2 was being made, they didn't release it at the same time for obvious reasons, even if it is drivers, why doesnt the 4870x2 gain performance as well?? i know they use different type of ram but it still is the same architecture (you know using 2 GPUs)

Im hoping somehow the 4870x2 gains some ground pretty soon with Driver updates or whatever, if not im going to the green side next round

What is the advantage of having a 4870x2 over a 4850x2, the fan noise?? is that it? really?

 

[Binge]

Fan noise and the sideport feature which has yet to be unlocked.

 

[SystemViper]

wow, that card is throwing off the balance of power.

 

[jbunch07]

Ok w1zz! please tell us how this card is out performing the 4870 X2? I'm dumbfounded!

 

[btarunr]

Ok w1zz! please tell us how this card is out performing the 4870 X2? I'm dumbfounded!

The RV770 cores are handling GDDR3 with far greater efficiency than GDDR5, when the cores are overclocked.

 

[jbunch07]

so if the 4870 X2 had GDDR3 then theoretically it would perform better?

 

[SystemViper]

The RV770 cores are handling GDDR3 with far greater efficiency than GDDR5, when the cores are overclocked.

So are you saying that it could be considered a smart move on the part of Nvidia to keep using the proven DDR3 instead of going with the bling value of DDR5? Thus being validated by DDR3 being able to be handled

with far greater efficiency

.

 

[btarunr]

So are you saying that by making that statement it could be considered a smart move on the part of Nvidia to keep using the proven DDR3 instead of going with the bling value of DDR5? Thus being validated by DDR3 being able to handled .

Where did I say that? Draw your own inferences, I'm speaking in context of this RV770 Pro setup. I remember W1z telling it could be due to the timings GDDR5 memory come with. Again, just one way of looking at it. I'm just as clueless as you are, but I'm sure the tests were re-run to double/triple-check the results, with both cards on the same drivers.

 

[TRIPTEX_CAN]

So are you saying that it could be considered a smart move on the part of Nvidia to keep using the proven DDR3 instead of going with the bling value of DDR5? Thus being validated by DDR3 being able to be handled .

Well DDR4 didnt help the 3870 win any battles.

Why do you think ATI shipped the 3870x2 with DDR3?

 

[SystemViper]

Love those 3870X2's, I still enjoy those cards.....

 

[Binge]

GDDR5 is shown to give the 4870 a huge leg up over the 4850. I have a theory about temperature hindering performance, but that's just speculation. The 4850x2 has to be producing a lot less heat.

 

[Scrizz]

does gddr5 run hotter than gddr3? no

and it's the same core....

maybe it's the length of the pcb, lol

 

[Binge]

does gddr5 run hotter than gddr3? no

and it's the same core....

maybe it's the length of the pcb, lol

I'd have to argue the opposite... Their load temps are very different.

 

[Mussels]

One reason this may do better here than in other reviews, is because its on a 3.6GHz wolfdale. For all we know, the drivers are more optimised for high CPU MHz than on the 4870

 

[eidairaman1]

1 negative shouldnt go against them and that is the CUDA Support, because of fact that Nvidia wont share the arch, just like SLI at the time. This Card is an excellent choice when pitted against the top dog cards (odd the slower chip is very comparable to both high end parts) And the average power draw isnt bad either.

 

[hclarkjr]

hmm I'm very surprised that this card outperforms its bigger brother in some test.
I was playing with the idea of CFing this card with my 4870 X2 but I was worried that this card would cause my card to run at slower clocks considering that it will default to the lower clocked card iirc. But now that I see that it performs very close/better than the 4870 X2 I wonder how they would do in CF? anyone have any ideas?

according to the other reviews i have read it does not perform better than the 4870 x2, not sure which review to believe at this point

 

[eidairaman1]

performs onpar with the other X2s and it is 100 USD cheaper

 

[W1zzard]

i sent an email asking amd if they have an idea why about the 4850 x2 beating the 4870 x2 in higher resolutions

 

[CY:G]

i sent an email asking amd if they have an idea why about the 4850 x2 beating the 4870 x2 in higher resolutions

Thanks W1zz, keep us posted

 

[jbunch07]

i sent an email asking amd if they have an idea why about the 4850 x2 beating the 4870 x2 in higher resolutions

Thanks!

 

[Mussels]

is the 4870 x2 a 2GB card as well? Could the memory be related?

 

[jbunch07]

is the 4870 x2 a 2GB card as well? Could the memory be related?

yup it's 2GB too.

 

[wolf]

For a dual GPU offering, around 2 years later, we havent really come that far.

the difference IS higher as res goes up, but across all resolutions is a great measure.