Palit HD4870 Review Comment Thread

[SKYMTL]

Originally Posted by in3d

Hello :)
Can you please post temperature results using Arctic Cooling S1 Rev.2, if you tested it sure.
Thanks!

Sorry, tested for fitment and not an actual temp test.

[Windego]

Originally Posted by Apollo4g

Hey all, im trying to decide whats better:
2x 3870X2 in CF
OR
2x 4870's in CF?

Which one will give me better performance in games like Crysis,CS:S, and just all round.

SKYMTL?Anyone? Any input? thought?

I saw some review on the 3870X2 is CF but they are a little old, did the new 8.6 drivers increase performance at all in the 3870X2 CF area?

Thanks guys/gals.

Benchs I have seen is anything past 3 cards is not working properly or the scaling is abysmal, providing no real benefit, up to 3 cards the scaling is great, when it is working, and that is also a problem. Hopefully things are changing in that regard. I would go for 2 4870s in CF or a 4870X2 when it arrives over 2 3870X2s myself.

[Apollo4g]

Cool thanks for the info. I decided 2x 4870s is my best choice. Although im buying after my holiday. So that will be at the end of August. I hope the prices will drop a little by then :)

[belgolas]

Well took the plunge of the great lowering of my account balance and ordered 2 HIS radeon 4870's. Well hopefully I get them by Tuesday unless companies ship Monday.

Well NCIX says they are getting a large HIS shipment next week. Some card were available today but were gone in a few minutes. Some cards are coming in tomorrow.

[Boldeagle]

Just an observation, with all the reviews I have noted on the 4870 and 4850 the HS seem to exhaust heat right near the Crossfire connectors. With the card inserted into the PCI-e slot (the top one in particular) of the motherboards this exhausts the heat towards the side panel were PCI vent openings are in many cases, e.g. Centurion 534 +Plus:

Cooler Master - Ultimate provider of Computer Chassis | Cooler | Power Supply

Therefore if you mounted an 80mm fan there to exhaust heat this should help minimise the likelihood of the Video Card just dumping heat into the system and help with cooling. If I look at my current card it would perfectly align with this side panel and a fan. Any thoughts from those that have used the cards?

[SKYMTL]

Originally Posted by Boldeagle

Just an observation, with all the reviews I have noted on the 4870 and 4850 the HS seem to exhaust heat right near the Crossfire connectors.

The HD4870 uses an enclosed cooler until the backplate. There are no openings in it near the Crossfire connectors.

[aldamon]

Thank you for the review. It's very well done.

Is there any chance you could underclock the core on the 4870 down to 4850 levels so or run both cores in the high 600s so we can see how much advantage the GDDR5 gives the 4870?

Over at XS, the BIOS on the 4850 has been unlocked to breach the 700 MHz barrier, so maximum overclocks on the cores are going to be similar. Obviously, an unlocked BIOS will not give GDDR5 to the 4850 though.

Thanks!

[SKYMTL]

Interesting you should say that. After the HD4850 and Crossfire reviews I was planning on doingthe downclocking dance if I had the time.

[aldamon]

Originally Posted by SKYMTL

Interesting you should say that. After the HD4850 and Crossfire reviews I was planning on doingthe downclocking dance if I had the time.

That would be great if you have the time. The way it's looking to a bunch of us, there's little reason to purchase a 4870 for $150 more once you unlock the BIOS on the 4850. In other words, there's a very good reason AMD capped the little 4850.

[Boldeagle]

Originally Posted by SKYMTL

The HD4870 uses an enclosed cooler until the backplate. There are no openings in it near the Crossfire connectors.

Fair enough they are like my x1900xtx (exhaust out the back), but all of the 4850 I have noted so far do seem to exhaust around the Crossfire connectors just thinking of the cooling, I don't want to have to lower the CPU because of heat issues.