4850 X2 or 4870?

J

Jakerz

Weaksauce
Joined
Feb 12, 2009
Messages
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Hi guys, got a newb question for you all. I've pretty much got my desktop spec'd out. ended up spend alittle more than I planned but its no big deal. I'm still deciding on the video card though...

Both cards I'm looking at are made by Sapphire

4870: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102801

4850 X2: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102813

Also, how do ATI cards handle shadows? I know my 2 7900gs's in my M9700 can't take them at all, lol... (on World of Warcraft).I'm guessing the 4850 X2 is the faster of the two and its about the same price.

Jake
 
HD 4850 X2 is faster but you should get the 2GB (2x1GB) version, 1GB (2x 512MB) can be a limiting factor at a higher resolution or higher graphic settings. HD 4870 1GB can give a better gameplay than HD 4850 X2 1GB if the game is memory limited.
 
The answer really depends on what resolution and settings you'd like to play with. If you play at 1680x1050, you're probably better off pocketing the money and getting the 4870. If you play at 1920x1080 or above on medium or high settings, then you'll want to go with the 2GB 4850 X2. But if you game at 2560x1600, then you'll probably want to make the leap to the 4870 X2 or the GTX295.
 
why not spend 50 bucks more and get the 2gb version of the 4850x2 it smokes video cards costing 100 more than it.
 
groebuck said:
why not spend 50 bucks more and get the 2gb version of the 4850x2 it smokes video cards costing 100 more than it.
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Well I think both the cards are overkill for what I'm doing... I'm running a 22 inch LCD on 1680x1050 and the only game I play right now is World of Warcraft, lol. The 50 bucks isn't that big of a deal with the 2 gig card, just didn't know if it was worth it.

Thanks.
Jake
 
Jakerz said:
Well I think both the cards are overkill for what I'm doing... I'm running a 22 inch LCD on 1680x1050 and the only game I play right now is World of Warcraft, lol. The 50 bucks isn't that big of a deal with the 2 gig card, just didn't know if it was worth it.

Thanks.
Jake
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If you're going to do something, do it right. ;)

That said, the single 4870 is plenty for 1680x1050. The 4850 X2 will be overkill.
 
Terpfen said:
The answer really depends on what resolution and settings you'd like to play with. If you play at 1680x1050, you're probably better off pocketing the money and getting the 4870. If you play at 1920x1080 or above on medium or high settings, then you'll want to go with the 2GB 4850 X2. But if you game at 2560x1600, then you'll probably want to make the leap to the 4870 X2 or the GTX295.
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I saw substantial gains in most games @ 1680 x 1050 with multi-GPU set-ups, including the HD 4850 X2 2GB.

Also, more than 512 MB VRAM is necessary for games like Crysis and Fallout 3 @ 1680 x 1050.

If you're a gamer...and you like AA and eye candy, the HD 4850 X2 2GB is not overkill @ 1680 x 1050.

I should have this post set-up to be an automated response triggered by every post that mentions "multi-GPU and/or more than 512MB VRAM isn't worth it @ 1680 x 1050."
 
Ogilvy said:
I saw substantial gains in most games @ 1680 x 1050 with multi-GPU set-ups, including the HD 4850 X2 2GB.

Also, more than 512 MB VRAM is necessary for games like Crysis and Fallout 3 @ 1680 x 1050.

If you're a gamer...and you like AA and eye candy, the HD 4850 X2 2GB is not overkill @ 1680 x 1050.

I should have this post set-up to be an automated response triggered by every post that mentions "multi-GPU and/or more than 512MB VRAM isn't worth it @ 1680 x 1050."
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A single 4870 with 1GB is sufficient for even Fallout 3. Would the 4850 X2 be better? Absolutely. (I hope so: I bought one of the damn things!) But do you NEED a 4850 X2 at 1680x1050? Nope. The 4870 1GB will be sufficient. If the OP wants more bang down the road, 4870 prices will only go down from here: he can pick up a second and use Crossfire.
 
Terpfen said:
A single 4870 with 1GB is sufficient for even Fallout 3. Would the 4850 X2 be better? Absolutely. (I hope so: I bought one of the damn things!) But do you NEED a 4850 X2 at 1680x1050? Nope. The 4870 1GB will be sufficient. If the OP wants more bang down the road, 4870 prices will only go down from here: he can pick up a second and use Crossfire.
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Well, I guess my reply is ...do we really need any of this stuff? :p
 
Always try to get more than what you think you will need, if you can afford it. What you use it for today, won't necessarily, be the same tomorrow. ;)

I just bought an open box Asus 4870x2 (2 gb) for $360, from Newegg. Keep your eyes open, when shopping. :D

.
 
Frankly for WoW and such, at 1680x, you could easily get away with a 4850, but for other more demanding games (and for future games) the 4870 1GB is probably the better buy... I think the 4850X2 is overkill unless you crave the highest AA settings in absolutely all games or you're planning to upgrade displays.
 
Thanks for all the advice guys... I think Im gonna go with the 4850 X2... its only 50 more bucks like you said and its a way better card.

Thanks,
Jake
 
Not to hijack this but I dont like making new topics for similar questions. I was planning on getting rid of my 3870x2 and upgrading before it loses even more of its value. Question is what to get?

I figure I can get 150 out of that maybe leaving me with another 130 or so to pay if I get a 4850x2 2GB. I don't know that I want to spend more than $200 on top of my old card sales.

Should I be looking at a 4870, maybe a GTX 285 for around $350? Are the next higher end chips rumored any time soon?

If I could land one of those open box 4870x2s under 350 i would be all over that.

For the record I have a Q6600 and play on 24" monitor
 
ATi is releasing the 4890 in April at the $200-250 price point, which means it's probably just a slight bump over the stock 4870. On nvidia's side, the 285/295 was their mid-cycle refresh, so we likely won't see anything out of them until the next gen this summer. IMO, the 4890 probably will not be worth waiting for, so your best options are already on the market.

The 4850 X2 and the 285 trade blows. It really depends on which games you play and whether or not you're comfortable with a dual-core GPU solution. The best way to look at it, IMO, is that the 4850 X2 delivers 285-level performance at a lower price point, with the caveat that the game needs to have a Crossfire profile in order to guarantee that performance. My personal opinion is that at resolutions of 1920x1200 and higher, going with dual GPUs is probably the better bet over the long term, which is why I went with the 4850 X2. (Also, at $280, the thing was a steal.)
 
Ya I am having a really hard time denying that price on the 4850x2. I am sure my antec neo550w will struggle to push it, if at all, so I probably have to pick up a Corsair 750TX or a Silverstone DA750. Debating if modular is worth another 35$.

Thanks for the input guys. I will probably go with the 4850x2 and consider a upgrade later this year if it holds its value well.
 
Schmiggy_JK23 said:
Ya I am having a really hard time denying that price on the 4850x2. I am sure my antec neo550w will struggle to push it, if at all, so I probably have to pick up a Corsair 750TX or a Silverstone DA750. Debating if modular is worth another 35$.
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Actually, if you consider this review, then the 4850 X2 is pretty power-efficient: 180w under load. The Asus GTX 285 is 249w under load.

Thanks for the input guys. I will probably go with the 4850x2 and consider a upgrade later this year if it holds its value well.
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Good luck, and enjoy. Later this year, your best upgrade in lieu of a brand-new card might actually be to buy a second 4850 X2 and set them up in Crossfire. (Yes, four 4850 cores.)
 
Terpfen said:
Actually, if you consider this review, then the 4850 X2 is pretty power-efficient: 180w under load. The Asus GTX 285 is 249w under load.

Good luck, and enjoy. Later this year, your best upgrade in lieu of a brand-new card might actually be to buy a second 4850 X2 and set them up in Crossfire. (Yes, four 4850 cores.)
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Hrm maybe I could pull it off then. Doesnt seem to pull much more of a load than my 3870x2. I should probably do it sooner or later anyhow if I end up going with a I7 die shrink down the road.
 
I know you have already made your decision, but I love my 4850x2. It is the best value purchase I have ever made (well, second best next to my Voodoo 3 back in the day). I can run any game on high detail at 1920x1080..... And it never skips a beat.
 
I don't think anyone answered...4850X2 1GB or 4870 1GB. I compare the two as they are the same price. I don't want to spend another $50...
 
Deathwish238 said:
I don't think anyone answered...4850X2 1GB or 4870 1GB. I compare the two as they are the same price. I don't want to spend another $50...
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Answers were given. That doesn't mean you have to like them.

4850 X2 1GB probably isn't worth getting, as the whole point of going with an X2 card is to game at higher resolutions or with more AA/AF, which you need more video memory for.
 
What would you recommend for comparatively low-res gaming (1280x1024):

4850x2 2gig
OR
4870 1gig

Noticeable differences?
 
Currently running an 8800GTS (But the gimp 320mb version) and my mobo doesn't support SLI. I was thinking about getting one of the new(er) ATI cards, but only if a single card will give a tangible benefit over my current card and if adding a second card for crossfire later would make sense if I do upgrade to a larger monitor and higher resolution.

Couple other things:
I was a big fan of ATI for their 9800, but have been using Nvidia since I replaced that so I haven't really kept current with the eternal ATI / Nvidia debate. ATI seems to be pretty solid right now and my board, while not cutting edge, does support crossfire and not SLI so that's why I'm leaning towards ATI atm.

I have read up on the latest [H]ardEnthusiast articles, but I'm not really playing games at the fringe right now.

I haven't bought a vanguard graphics chip since the 9800pro - since then I've been getting the more value oriented yet still highish end cards.
 
the 4850 is sorta like an 8800 ultra..... so it will definately be a boost over that gts 320mb
 
Hrm. Well I got $200 for my old card but I was a day late. Amazon had the 2GB 4850x2 for $260 after a $30 rebate. Guess they are all sold out today so I had to go to the Egg. Still not bad, only $75 for a upgrade to that card.

Gonna try to see if my 550 can handle it, most things I am reading saying the power draw of the 4850x2 is less or equal to that of the 3870x2 so I dont think I will have an issue.
 
Hrm. Well either my card is FUBAR on the first day or I have a PSU issue. I have the correct 6 and 8 pin connections running but the system after logging in to windows it goes gray on the monitor with darker gray vertical lines. I got a stop 0x00000124 the one time a blue screen showed up.

PSU you think? I ordered the Corsair, even though pay day isn't till later this week so I hope that solves the issue. If not I guess it is Sapphire RMA time.

System is completely stable with my 2600XT backup card in. Was also stable for probably 7 hours today with the 4850x2 then for a hour or two of TF2, and a half hour break, then it acted up. Temps were fine at the time, 46C at worst.
 
If it was unstable with the 2600XT, then it sounds like you may have another issue. Could be the PSU, could be something else.
 
That doesn't look good. It seems you would need to RMA but definitely after you have tried it with the new PSU.
 
jhtevans said:
Currently running an 8800GTS (But the gimp 320mb version) and my mobo doesn't support SLI. I was thinking about getting one of the new(er) ATI cards, but only if a single card will give a tangible benefit over my current card and if adding a second card for crossfire later would make sense if I do upgrade to a larger monitor and higher resolution.
Click to expand...

I went from a GTS320 to a 4870 (512mb) and the difference was huge. I noticed a bigger improvement than when I upgraded my X1900XT to the GTS. Get a 1gb variant if you plan on running CrossFire.
 
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