1gb 4870 release?

[hybrid2d4x4]

Anyone know or hear anything about when these things are actually going to hit the shelves? I see the ones on ncix and directcanada, but nothing in stock and even more disturbing is the price premium. Anyone privy to any info relating to these that they can share? TIA!

[belgolas]

No info but if the 1GB 8800 GT is anything similar then there will be no performance gains. So I wouldn't waste time and just get a 4870.

[Oversized Rooster]

Originally Posted by belgolas

No info but if the 1GB 8800 GT is anything similar then there will be no performance gains. So I wouldn't waste time and just get a 4870.

There are several games out there which directly benefit from extra graphics memory such as Flight Simulator X. Not a very common game, yes. However, there are die-hard fans of it out there (me included) and for us a 1GB card would actually have use.

[encorp]

It'll help with higher resolutions too.

[yycraven]

The Powercolor 4870 1GB cards should be out this week coming or next. Got this from good source.

[hybrid2d4x4]

Originally Posted by belgolas

No info but if the 1GB 8800 GT is anything similar then there will be no performance gains. So I wouldn't waste time and just get a 4870.

That's something I've been mulling over as well. Realistically, I won't be upgrading my displays in the next half-decade at least, so I need something that will drive at only 1680x1050 and 1920x1080. And while you are right that most games today aren't limited at 512MB, there are some that are. Some Oblivion hi-res texture packs need over 700MBs, and some new game(s) (I don't remember which- I've read so many reviews of it that they're all a blur) that run fine on a 512MB card @ 1900x1200 w AA seem to hit a brick wall at 2560x1600 with AA on. I don't think it's a stretch to say that this time next year, that cutoff point could be at 1900x1200.

To put this more in perspective, here's why I'm waiting for the 1 gigger: I don't upgrade every 6 months or 18 months or whatever the usual period is (I might consider myself an enthusiast but don't allocate anywhere near as much funds for it as the next guy). A year from now, when the 4870s cost well under $150 (and they will, just look at the 8800gt), I'll pick up a 2nd one to put in CF. So basically, what I choose now I'll be milking for about 4 years. This is why I think I need the more future-proof version.

You can make the argument that by that time, the 512MB RAM would be the least of my worries with the processing power being the main bottleneck, and that is possible, but in my situation I'd rather err on the side of caution. (sorry for the rant...)

...

Thanks for the info yycraven, I don't suppose you know if they plan on doing some crazy price-gouging, or if they're going to be priced appropriately for the current market?

[yycraven]

Thanks for the info yycraven, I don't suppose you know if they plan on doing some crazy price-gouging, or if they're going to be priced appropriately for the current market?[/quote]



For right now, from what I have been told there going to be in the $350 to $400 range.
That will be for a few weeks to a month or so.

[hybrid2d4x4]

<sigh> Damn... Alright, thanks again. I guess I'll have to keep my eyes peeled in the coming weeks.

[Apollo4g]

Originally Posted by hybrid2d4x4

<sigh> Damn... Alright, thanks again. I guess I'll have to keep my eyes peeled in the coming weeks.

Spotted

NCIX.com - Buy HIS Radeon HD 4870 Turbo 1GB GDDR5 PCI-E Dual DVI-I HDCP HDTV Out Video Card - H487FT1P In Canada.

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.p...anufacture=HIS

At $394.99 and $374.99 respectively, i think a 4870X2 is a better bang for your buck.

[hybrid2d4x4]

Those are the ones I mentioned in the OP, but they're not actually available for purchase, it's pretty much a preorder. And they're a huge ripoff.

Also, I forgot to mention that I'm a silencing nazi, so I'll be getting an Accelero S1 rev2 and Scythe S-Flex to go along with it. I don't know of any quiet cooling alternatives for the X2s unless you count water cooling, and that's too costly and/or loud for my tastes. Plus, the X2 costs a lot more than I'm willing to dish out for a vid card.