ASUS EAH3870 512MB Graphics Card Review

Conclusion

Since its release, the HD3870 name has been synonymous with affordable performance and with the HD3870 TOP, ASUS has continued this tradition in their own unique way. In the past, ATI’s board partners have left pre-overclocked versions of their cards off their proverbial “to do” lists and have left their Nvidia-totting competition to run away with this portion of the market. ASUS has bucked this trend and has pushed out a TOP edition which finally adds some spice to an otherwise drab ATI presence in the graphics card arena.

While the performance potential of the RV670 architecture can be debated until doomsday, what can’t be denied is that ASUS has made their HD3870 TOP extremely appealing to gamers and multimedia aficionados alike. While it provides a small boost in games (more on this later), where it really shines is its adaptability to different usage scenarios. With its included DVI to HDMI adaptor, it caters to HTPC users who are gung-ho to have a card that is just as comfortable decoding HD signals as it is gaming. Indeed, many other ATI board partners have conspicuously left this adaptor out of their packages so we have to give some major credit to ASUS for including it with their card. The inclusion of a full copy of Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts is also great since we are rapidly seeing the death of included games in the face of cost-cutting by many manufacturers. Also, where the majority of the competition is stuck in the Stone Age with their ridiculous 1 or 2-year ATI warranties, the three years ASUS provides is second to none when it comes to ATI graphics cards. Companies like HIS, Diamond and Sapphire better bloody well sit up and take notice since potential customers are pointedly ignoring them due to their lack of proper length warranties.

After that ringing endorsement, it is time for some brutal honesty: from a purely gaming standpoint we really can’t recommend buying an overclocked HD3870 card. Some people like pre-overclocked cards because they act like a kind of security blanket where the customer thinks they will actually be getting a better gameplay experience through higher clocks. Indeed, we have seen in the past (with the ASUS 8800GT TOP) that some overclocked cards can provide an increase in game playability right across the board if they are clocked high enough. Unfortunately, the HD3870 TOP just doesn’t have the speed to provide any tangible gaming benefits over a bone stock HD3870 512MB in nearly every game we tested. Also, we have said it once and we will say it again: the RV670 architecture which is at the center of every HD3870 card hates anti-aliasing with a passion. Whenever AA was enabled, even the overclocked ASUS HD3870 TOP saw its frame rates go spiralling out of control. Unfortunately for ATI, with Nvidia’s latest price drops the 8800GT is retailing for nearly the same price as the HD3870 and as we have seen, if you are first and foremost a gamer the 8800GT 512MB is a better choice.

So, where does this all leave the ASUS HD3870 TOP? It is a great card which has more tricks up its sleeve than David Copperfield but it faces an uphill battle when it comes to the price you pay for pure unadulterated gaming performance. That doesn’t stop it from being a potential multimedia powerhouse which is something almost none of the Nvidia cards in this price range can attest to. All in all, if you are looking for an all-round good performer with a lengthy warranty, HDMI output and the ability to run Folding@Home, this card should be near the top of your list.


Pros:

- Good performance
- Efficient
- 3-year warranty
- Great accessory package


Cons:

- Price vs. performance
- Louder than reference HD3870
- Overclock gives very little performance increase