Which card is louder? 280 or 4850?

[Rocksta107]

I'm consider a lot of things for my upcoming computer. I really like the idea of a single slot solution, but I hear the 4850 gets really hot. How is noise? Anyone out there played with both cards and hear a noticable difference?

 

[snowysnowcones]

Apparently the GTX 280 can get decently loud. The 4850 is silent, but does get hot - I believe it's fan spins at 14% at all times? You could certainly just turn up the 4850's fan speed, and it should still be very very quiet.

The two cards are in completely different sections of the market. The GTX 280 for the higher end, and the 4850 for the mid range/ price/performance. What exactly are you looking to be doing with your new system? Lots of gaming? Little? Resolution?

 

[Rocksta107]

Thanks for your interest Snowy Mc Snowmaster.

I have an old Nforce 2 MoBo with a 6800 GT. I've saved up about $1500.00 to buy and build a new computer. My concern mostly comes down to the MoBo video card combo as that will dictate a lot of other choices.

I pikced up a Soyo 24" for $200 on sale a few months ago and need something that will push 1920x1200. I wouldn't mind a 280 GTX but I do a lot of audio recording when not gaming and need something relatively quiet.

If ATi releases the 4870 and it it quieter, cheaper and less expensive than a 280 GTX my choice should be made for me. Not only do I get a better card, but I won't have to worry about buying an Nvidia motherboard at all. I can buy a nice P45 or X38/X48 with Duel 16x PCIe slots and know that I can add a second if necessary down the line.

It should be noted I'll end up with about $500-$600 to spend on Video card. I could stretch that out a little, but prices should come down on the 280 enough to pick one up before long. In fact, you can get a PNY 280 with a $50 MIR for $599.

 

[snowysnowcones]

Well, you can game with a 4850 is most games, not all, it just varies what you play. You could wait for the 4870, but from the pictures, it looks like it has the 2900XT's famous cooler on it. However, ATI might lock the fan speed (and probably will) at a very low percent so it's quiet. The 4870 has GDDR 5 memory which allows for more bandwidth, so it would be more ideal for higher resolutions.

I would wait until the 4870 launches (25th of the month) and see how things turn out. If it's just a little faster then a 4850, I'd say get a 4850 with a x38 motherboard. If you find that the 4850 isn't all you wanted at 1920x1200 (again, it just depends on what games you play), then you can get another 4850 for crossfire.

 

[The Real Spartacus]

Are there any aftermarket coolers for these cards?

 

[heatlesssun]

The GTX 280 isn't all that loud. I don't have a 4850 so I can't compare but the stock cooler on the 4850 is much smaller so I would imagine that it is quieter.