Able to trade my 4870x2 for a 5870, no cost. What to do?

S

Stardusted

Limp Gawd
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I was presented with a nice oppurtunity to trade my 4870x2 for enough money (265 euros), a deal that lets me get a new 5870 for just +30 euros.

Now... at first I said yes, and waiting to seal the deal coming monday...

But today I started searching and googling benchmarks and reviews... and I am not so sure.

4870x2 seems to be faster in most of them (1920x1080). Should I just keep the 4870x2 and wait? I will probably be able to buy a 5870 brand new during Christmas, and since I bought my 4870x2 used in the past for only 200$ (that would be around 140 euros)...

Bottom line, do you believe the 5870 will be a downgrade for me at that moment ? It's not like I can't max out all the games I want, I mainly feel like trying out the dx11 eyecandy.

Take the deal now, or just wait ?

PS : Any [H] review planned to compare 4870x2 and 5870? Or maybe fellow users who already got a 5870 to replace their existing 4870x2? How do you feel about it, how was the overall experience? Better?
 
For a mere 30 euros I'd say take it.

The 4870x2 will depreciate faster than the 5870 since the latter is a brand new card.

You would definitely be future-proof as you can always xfire your 5870 for a big leap in performance. Can't do that with your 4870x2.
 
Not to mention the lower power consumption/idle power!

The 4870x2, by now, should of hit all hardware limits. The 5870 has a bit more to go, before drivers reach full maturaty, and full speed.
 
your kidding right?
people who have gone from a 4870x2 even from gtx295 enjoy their 5870.
its not even a contest.
 
As I understand it, the 5870 is not necessarily touted for its framerates being higher, but steadier. Even users who have switched from "faster" dual-GPU cards have noted how smoothly their games play on the 5870. Of course, these types of things are often subjective, and some things are not readily apparent in a benchmark.
 
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I would grab the 5870 in a hearbeat if it would only cost me that much out of pocket. A single gpu card is always less problematic in games than a dual gpu.

That and you get dx 11, eyefinity and far lower power consumption for only 30 euros.

Seems like an easy choice to me :)
 
I feel a bit more sure about my choice reading the replies, that makes me happier :)

I thought about keeping the 4870x2 and getting the 5870 out of my pocket, but since both my other rigs are running at low resolutions (hd ready tv and 19'' monitor), even if I just used it in one of them, and pay for the 5870 from my pocket, I couldnt justify the expense.

Oh well. Next generation step for me then :)

PS - I also thought of selling the 4870x2 and keeping the money for a month to see how things are going to shape, but I'm really not that kind of person, so I dismissed the thought instantly.
 
nike-just-do-it.jpg
 
Stardusted said:
I was presented with a nice oppurtunity to trade my 4870x2 for enough money (265 euros), a deal that lets me get a new 5870 for just +30 euros.

Now... at first I said yes, and waiting to seal the deal coming monday...

But today I started searching and googling benchmarks and reviews... and I am not so sure.

4870x2 seems to be faster in most of them (1920x1080). Should I just keep the 4870x2 and wait? I will probably be able to buy a 5870 brand new during Christmas, and since I bought my 4870x2 used in the past for only 200$ (that would be around 140 euros)...

Bottom line, do you believe the 5870 will be a downgrade for me at that moment ? It's not like I can't max out all the games I want, I mainly feel like trying out the dx11 eyecandy.

Take the deal now, or just wait ?

PS : Any [H] review planned to compare 4870x2 and 5870? Or maybe fellow users who already got a 5870 to replace their existing 4870x2? How do you feel about it, how was the overall experience? Better?
Click to expand...

What dx11 candy? No such thing yet, except one game
 
Go ahead and do it, you will gain some min fps, you card will not really drop in price as much as the 4870x2, and it will be lower power, and cooler in your case also.

Not to mention dx11.
 
The 5870 will have smoother performance out of the box because it's a single gpu instead of dual gpu. No microstuttering effect. Also those 30 euros are a pittance because the 5870 will easily save you that much or more on energy bills alone. 27W idle on the 5870 vs god knows how much for a 4870x2. Add in DX11 support and Eyefinity features and you have a slam dunk. PLUS my 5870 overclocks like a beast! :) 21K 3dmarks with an added PhysX boost from my 9600 GSO.

Vantage4_1ghz5870_9600GSO.jpg
 
When looking at which card is faster, look at the minimum FPS, not the maximum FPS. You want to know how well the card does in the most demanding panoramic action-filled moments, not when you're just looking at a wall. If the review just lists an average FPS, then the review isn't telling you everything you need to know and you should disregard it.
 
evilsofa said:
When looking at which card is faster, look at the minimum FPS, not the maximum FPS. You want to know how well the card does in the most demanding panoramic action-filled moments, not when you're just looking at a wall. If the review just lists an average FPS, then the review isn't telling you everything you need to know and you should disregard it.
Click to expand...
This. I wish more reviews showed min fps.
 
I would say it depends on if you have multi displays or not. Still 30 Euro is not a bad price at all for a new 5870. I only play on my 46 inch HDTV so im not sure a 5870 would benifit me. I am currently using 2 4870 X2 in 4CF mode. Right now all the games are CPU limited for Frames per second with this configuration.
 
Oh well, I did it :) Card sent, now will have to wait for 10-14 days to receive my payment... Actually I also sent him some extra ddr sticks I had sitting around, so the money I'll receive will fully cover my 5870 purchase...

I already have my pc fully loaded with several games waiting to be played and benched. I'll present them in two weeks from today in a much more interesting thread ;)
 
Good job.. its a great card. I had a 4870x2 a while back and this is MUCH better. Runs super cool and overclocks high.
 
If you like to OC your cards, the 5870 has a lot of headroom. With just a little voltage adjustment, many people are hitting 1GHz+ on the core and 1300 on memory.
 
I went from a 4870 x2 and couldnt be more happier. its a great balance between peformance/noise, and its smoother than the 4870 x2.
 
My XFX 5870 arrives today... actually its sitting out on my porch according to tracking info.
 
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