$650 Performance for $400 or $400 performance for $650?

[alg7_munif]

So it's true the HD4850 in Crossfire can match the GTX280 but something is wrong, why one solution is much cheaper than the other? What do you think, will the HD4850 have a higher price in the next few weeks or the GTX280 price will drop soon?

 

[snowysnowcones]

Nvidia:

ATI:

 

[Avareyne]

It seems like microstuttering is an issue with crossfire as well. So it really isn't a perfect option either. There appears to be no perfect option and you just have to decide whether you want to pay 600$ for a single GPU or 400$ and possibly deal with microstutters.

 

[kllrnohj]

You generally pay a premium the higher up in the line you go. Take, for example, the GTX 260 vs 280. The 260 is significantly cheaper but doesn't trail the 280 by all that much. Its just the way of the market.

 

[onedestinazn2]

for the price of a gtx280, you could have 3 4850. can you actually tri x-fire?

 

[jedolley]

i'm sorry, but i read the initial reviews of the 4850 in CF, but i don't see it competing with the 280. The 4870 in CF will probably trade blows with the 280, but the price difference is only about $50 at that point.

I'm waiting to see how the 4870 competes with the 260 (both single and CF/SLI).

 

[MrLonghair]

Microstuttering happens with both CF and SLI, unless something has happened recently and I woke up in another universe.

So it's true the HD4850 in Crossfire can match the GTX280 but something is wrong, why one solution is much cheaper than the other?

1) They're not Nvidia who reliably can use prices like that because they are huge
2) Nvidia's getting bad yields with that huge sloppy core
3) ATI are smart. Consumers in general aren't

Hopefully the price drops. I can see $180 maybe $170 in a month or two, tops, provided supplies last which they probably will with the ATI yields

 

[Avareyne]

for the price of a gtx280, you could have 3 4850. can you actually tri x-fire?

Yeah you can tri xfire. But you still deal with the neg's that come along with SLI/Xfire as has already been said.

 

[Digital Viper-X-]

it's funny ATI is doing the opposite of what AMD did with the Phenom ^^ multiple smaller gpus > big monolithic one!
I guess AMD learned something

 

[needmorecarnitine]

Hopefully the price drops. I can see $180 maybe $170 in a month or two, tops, provided supplies last which they probably will with the ATI yields

$160 seems more reasonable (probably with rebates) since you can get one for $175 today (with rebate)

 

[alg7_munif]

Looks like the situation:
Now=Last realease
8800GT=HD3850
8800GTS 512MB=HD3870
HD4850=8800GT
HD4870=8800GTS 512MB

 

[Blackstone]

The 4850 seems to perform more like the 9800GTX than the 8800GT...

 

[needmorecarnitine]

Now there is a second one for $175 after rebate and one for $170 (AR)

I don't think you have to worry about supplies lasting

 

[Avrithor]

The 4850 seems to perform more like the 9800GTX than the 8800GT...

IIRC, the review I saw that put an 8800GT in the same ballpark as the 4850 was with an overclocked GT and the 4850 was of course at stock speed, which makes for misleading results. At stock speeds it seems you are correct, it trades blows with the 9800GTX.

 

[Deliximus]

most reviews show 4850>9800GTX especially with AA turned on.
but all in the same ballpark. AND THE MOST UN-PAPER LAUNCH EVER!

 

[Omegas]

Mabye ATI should of named this the 9700^2? Cause it looks like the ATI 9700-9800 series are back with a vengence! GoGo Nvidia FX 280!!

 

[kllrnohj]

Mabye ATI should of named this the 9700^2? Cause it looks like the ATI 9700-9800 series are back with a vengence! GoGo Nvidia FX 280!!

This is nothing like the 9700-9800 series. Back then the 9700 Pro absolutely crushed everything out there. The 48xx series is looking to TIE whats out there (but beat it in price )

 

[Juic3]

This is nothing like the 9700-9800 series. Back then the 9700 Pro absolutely crushed everything out there. The 48xx series is looking to TIE whats out there (but beat it in price )

Good enough for me, its making its competition move and we all like that, $200 9800GTX soon .

 

[Kharz]

Just posted this in another thread, but its worth reposting. Best Buy is selling Visiontech 4850's for $149 each. No rebate, etc. On page 22 of their weekly flier they are offering 25% off all visiontech graphics cards. So $199 * 75% = $149. So $300 for a crossfire combo

Seems like a pretty god deal to me; but I am biased as I just bought them