Graphics cardz

Post by **Calix** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 3:56 am

Anyone up to date on them?

Looking at the Radeon HD 4870.

Any opinions? Am I going to have an issue with it in my setup? Is it overkill considering the rest of my system? Can my PSU handle it?

Core 2 Duo e6700
2 gig corsair ram
Intel DP965LT motherboard
500W hiper psu

Post by **Calix** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 4:15 am

Or looking at the next model down, what about this?

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showprodu ... -PC&tool=3

Post by **Buster** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 6:14 am

I`m looking at buying a HD4850 very soon, every forum i've read recomends that over any other card.

Zim Zum · Post by **Zim Zum** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 6:43 am

PSU might be a problem. 4850 is probably a safer bet. One of those reviewers says that it's better than a 9800GTX I find that hard to believe at that price?

Nice that it has hdmi out with 5.1 audio.

These puppies run hot so I hope your system is cool and quiet.

I'm about to buy a Scythe Kaze master 5.25" fan controller for my PC. It gives individual RPM control for upto four fans (you could always link fans if you need to add m0re) and also has a number of temperature probes you can insert anywhere you want. Perfect for keeping your system as quiet as possible.

Zim Zum · Post by **Zim Zum** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 7:22 am

Lol reading this made me seriously tempted to buy a 4870 so I can play COH on max settings. Then just out of interest I thought I'd try COH on DX9 instead of 10. I put all settings on max and ran the performance test and averaged 75fps...

Guess I just saved myself £200. WTF is DX10 so GPU intensive.

Post by **Calix** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 12:10 pm

Heat is an issue in my system for some unknown reason. I dunno if it's just the current card getting old and knackered. Problem only started this summer.

And yeah, read a lot of reviews saying these cards are better than the Nvidia alternative for about half the price...

Looks like i'll have to get a new PSU as well, read a couple of reviews of the model in mine and apparently it has a shit 12v rail, which is exactly what needs to be good for these cards. Best.

Post by **Calix** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 2:06 pm

Decided to risk it without the psu for now..

Got this:

http://www.ebuyer.com:80/product/146872

Read a few reviews on anandtech etc, is just below the 4870 for most games, best 4850 model by a long way.

Noxin · Post by **Noxin** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 3:28 pm

9800 gx2 thx

Zim Zum · Post by **Zim Zum** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 3:53 pm

I was reading some reviews today about the 4870 and it did amazingly well for the price but was also the most power hungry and hot single card. So your souped up 4850 should be nearly as good.

The 9800GX2 is a monster Nox, and is even more power hungry. Hard to know which is better between that and a GTX 280, similar prices too.

Post by **Calix** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 4:26 pm

Main thing that convinced me to go for that is it runs about 20c cooler than a stock 4850 apparently..

I doubt anything much could be hotter than my current one is running now anyway, was at 76c just on the desktop the other day..

Post by **senji** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 4:58 pm

Speaking of graphics cards.

How much would you say the price for a used Voodoo 3000 (PCI) is these days in euros?

Villa · Post by **Villa** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 5:26 pm

I heard the nvidia 280gtx is > than any ATI card.

Post by **Calix** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 5:34 pm

Yeah it is Villa, but it's more than 2x the price.

Senj i'll swap you it for a Riva TNT2 32mb^^

Zim Zum · Post by **Zim Zum** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 5:35 pm

280GTX seems to be the best single slot card out there at the moment, but both the 9800GX2 and 4870 beat it in certain applications, all depends on resolutions and what functions a game is calling on.

Post by **senji** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 6:03 pm

Hah, can't Zim, I'm selling mine

I figure 10-20 euros is an okish price.