Guru3D - Radeon HD 4870 review

Hilbert Hagedoorn

Okay guys, the first sample finally arrived yesterday. So here's the first part of Guru3D's 4870 review. It's a kickass product guys .. damn. Even yours truly didn't see that one coming.

http://www.guru3d.com/article/radeon...-review--asus/

zigihammer · 06-27-2008, 08:56 | posts: 692 | Location: 49°52'[N]-19°09'[E]

Great review;]

4870 FTW.

Waiting for CF tests ;]

mike06303 · 06-27-2008, 08:58 | posts: 19 | Location: Cyprus

Great review Hilbert as always. I think that no one expect that from ATI. HD4870 sure rocks. Way to go ATI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can't wait for the HD4870 1024 mb DDR5. Any idea if they going to release that one?

genecrazy · 06-27-2008, 09:01 | posts: 218

Lol no one likes that Asus 48xx Series art. Too manly for it i guess? Oh well i like it..;] hahah

Anyways, I love how ATI is kickn butt with this card!!!

Also..Are there any reviews with phenom 9850? And the whole SPIDER PLATFORM setup?

isidore · 06-27-2008, 09:20 | posts: 5,597 | Location: Timisoara, Romania

great card...and it's just the first drivers..can't wait to get it

Jonny Manc · 06-27-2008, 09:40 | posts: 2,744 | Location: Cumbria, UK

You have ratified my choice....THANKS!!

Great review as always.

xBeldin · **Memory**: 4GB Patriot 800MHz 5-5-5-12

Wow this card is amazing. Good on ATi.

tuco · 06-27-2008, 10:21 | posts: 3,037 | Location: SoL 3

Nice review, is it possible to test crossfire vrs Oblivion when you release part 2?

Classic Satch · 06-27-2008, 10:47 | posts: 4,780 | Location: Alaska

Great review Hilbert. I've been intimating since the initial reviews were posted that Nvidia was in for a beating but waited until your review to legitimize it.

Nvidia, please, go to hell. I bought the 8800 GTX last August for $400 because hey, I'm a Guru3d member and love the fastest tech. However, for you a-holes to keep the 8800's prices at $450+ for almost a year while releasing garbage like the 8600's and the rebadged money-sink 9800's is a travesty.

Thank God that ATI/AMD is back, at least in this market segment, and Nvidia can go take a flying leap....arrogant bastards.

aircool · 06-27-2008, 10:50 | posts: 13,428 | Location: Devon, In A Little Town.

Yeah, it was very much like a monopoly until the HD3850/70's were released. That brough down the GT/GTS's down in price a bit too.

F_vdBroek · 06-27-2008, 10:53 | posts: 10 | Location: Calgary, AB, Canada

Great review the 4870 is for sure my next card but I would like to see a 1GB version. I'm hoping they release a 1GB with GDDR5, hope there is enough GDDR5 around to make the 1GB! Does anyone know if any 1GB 4870's are in the works...by any company? Like Asus with the announcement of a 4850 with 1GB GDDR3.

Classic Satch · 06-27-2008, 10:56 | posts: 4,780 | Location: Alaska

Quote:

Originally Posted by F_vdBroek

Great review the 4870 is for sure my next card but I would like to see a 1GB version. I'm hoping they release a 1GB with GDDR5, hope there is enough GDDR5 around to make the 1GB! Does anyone know if any 1GB 4870's are in the works...by any company? Like Asus with the announcement of a 4850 with 1GB GDDR3.

I can't think of any games other than Oblivion or STALKER with texture mod packs that demand more than 512MB of video RAM. I may be wrong but those are the two biggest titles I can think of that may be affected.

RagDoll_Effect · 06-27-2008, 11:38 | posts: 3,943 | Location: Australia

Great review Hilbert, as always...

I just got a 9800 GTX and I'm very happy with it, and also, my last 4 cards have been Ati/Amd, and the only one that I was really happy with was the old Radeon 9800 pro... I ended up getting the 2900 XT and was faulty and also, I find nvidia's drivers are better than Ati and also, ati run really warm compared to nvidia cards...

Seems like a really good card though, the 4870 and you can't really go wrong with the price...

However, I have switched over to nvidia and I'm very happy

Another happy nvidia customer

kapu · 06-27-2008, 11:57 | posts: 3,530 | Location: Poland

Thats my next card

.

Winner

Stukov · 06-27-2008, 13:26 | posts: 4,838 | Location: South Dakota

I saw it coming

but maybe that is just because I browse all the rumor mills all night long

Stukov · 06-27-2008, 13:27 | posts: 4,838 | Location: South Dakota

Quote:

Originally Posted by RagDoll_Effect

Great review Hilbert, as always...

I just got a 9800 GTX and I'm very happy with it, and also, my last 4 cards have been Ati/Amd, and the only one that I was really happy with was the old Radeon 9800 pro... I ended up getting the 2900 XT and was faulty and also, I find nvidia's drivers are better than Ati and also, ati run really warm compared to nvidia cards...

Seems like a really good card though, the 4870 and you can't really go wrong with the price...

However, I have switched over to nvidia and I'm very happy

Another happy nvidia customer

ATI's drivers are leaps and bounds better than they were a year ago. I dare say better than Nvidia's currently. The new driver every month (and certified) is a good way to go.

RejZoR · 06-27-2008, 13:34 | posts: 4,212 | Location: Europe/Slovenia/Ljubljana

The HD4800 series are trully amazing. Even drivers seem to work just fine, though i've so far tried only few 3DMark versions, NFS:MW and Crashday. At least built in CCC Overdrive works great, one of the most important things for me

Keitosha · 06-27-2008, 13:52 | posts: 4,380 | Location: Omicron Persei Windows 8 Pro WMC

Awesome review Hilbert as always.

There's one minor thing on page 2 though. The chart says that the HD3870 uses GDDR3 memory, but it's actually equipped with GDDR4 memory.

mike06303 · 06-27-2008, 14:36 | posts: 19 | Location: Cyprus

ATI Drivers are a lot helpful especially with older cards. I consider them as the best from personal experience. I 've had a Pentium 4 3GHz pc with the X1650pro 512mb agp. When COD4 came and Crysis I couldn't play them at all. I had the 7.11 Catalyst version. After upgrading the drivers to 8.2 - 8.3 (I don't remember) the difference was huge. I've been able to play these games even in medium settings and 1280x1024 res. Now my little brothers have the pc and they are enjoying every second of Crysis with that card.

damien666 · 06-27-2008, 15:26 | posts: 11,834 | Location: nottingham, uk

when do you think their will be a CF reveiw ns gtx280 as i think they will beat the 280 and its also cheeper

hzahid · 06-27-2008, 15:47 | posts: 20 | Location: Karachi-Pakistan

Great Review + Great GPU FTW ATI all the way

atlast nvidia

by ati

{LOD}PITBULL · 06-27-2008, 15:50 | posts: 768 | Location: Upstate NY

Wooott!!!!!! We Are Back And Leading The Pack! About Friggin Time! Wwooooootttttttt!!!!!!

mikeysg · 06-27-2008, 16:13 | posts: 1,799 | Location: Babylon 5

Awesome review, Hilbert! Good to see all this ATi lovin' right now.......as for the guy asking about 1GB DDR5 version of the 4870, I believe it's forth coming, but at around August IIRC. Personally, I'm waiting to score a pair of 4870 X2's (or, at the very least, 4870 X2 + 4870)myself for some CFX goodness.

Schepsel · 06-27-2008, 16:20 | posts: 128 | Location: Netherlands

And I was even considering buying an Nvidia card... I think I'll stick to ATI for the time being. Why buy a $500 card when it's obsolete 6 months later... spend €400 on my 3870 crossfire setup and just sold them for €180 + €60 = HD4870

I love the price/performance game ATI/AMD is in. Think they are doing a great job. Thanks for another great review again!

Gucci · 06-27-2008, 16:41 | posts: 127 | Location: Sweden

Im so going to crossfire 2 of these babies, or atleast a HD4870 and HD4850. I think the performance loss will be minimal vs HD4870X2 ...

Who wants to bet?