AMD launches ATI Radeon HD 3800 series for budget gamers

Here we go, AMD just announced the immediate availability of their ATI Radeon HD 3800 series of GPUs. Four days earlier than predicted. According to AMD, these are the world's first to support DirectX 10.1, 55nm process technology, and tri and quad multi-GPU support with ATI CrossFireX. Out today are the $179 Radeon HD 3850 with 256MB of GDDR3 memory and $219 Radeon HD 3870 with 512MB of GDDR4. Now, how 'bout giving us the Phenom processor AMD, and we'll call it a day?

[Via I4U]

[jason @ Nov 15th 2007 4:51AM]

yay, i will have to buy this and go crossfire!

[melvz @ Nov 15th 2007 6:08AM]

good luck in finding these cards in retail and in volume anytime soon... they're from AMD...

[BG14 @ Nov 15th 2007 10:44AM]

Where the hell can i find these i tried online everywhere i know today is there launch?

p.s i had a 8800 gts and it sucked donket bal%%


sum one please help

[kojo87 @ Nov 16th 2007 7:39PM]

Newegg has them in stock right now so if you want one go get one right now. im seriously thinking about it..

[erik.sherman @ Nov 15th 2007 5:21AM]

AMD is FINALLY taking control of the ATI product line. Thank you. I am an ATI enthusiast, this re-affirms my belief in the company. ATI is not dead, although it was on the decline compared to nvidia. Crossfire 4 life yo.

[trancer @ Nov 15th 2007 5:23AM]

Awesome, Let the battle begin!

[Snipermonky @ Nov 15th 2007 5:26AM]

Thats a very solid price... Gotta love competition.

[Kizorblade @ Nov 15th 2007 6:24AM]

This is good... If Nvidia's prices of the 8800gt stay at where they are, then we might see some good competition!

And does anyone know any reviews of those 3870s in a Crossfire X setup?

[aahatimy @ Nov 15th 2007 6:24AM]

Will it run Crysis, cause I want something that will run that gamenow on highest settings. Anyone which one to go for?

[Mr. Vage @ Nov 15th 2007 6:44AM]

I doubt it. My 8800GTX only gets 18-22 FPS at my monitor's native resolution (1680x1050) and it gets worse with AA on. There's no way these cards could be as good or better than a card over 2x their price.

[Juice Daddy @ Nov 30th 2007 3:42PM]

this game probably won't do any better than an 8800 for crysis

there are currently no fully compatible drivers for crysis from ati or nvidia...

from the rumors I've read here and there, crytek plans to release a patch to improve the performance...

nvidia is currently testing beta drivers .09 introduced sli support for the game and the current is 169.12 which hasn't made any improvements...

I haven't heard anything of ati as far as crysis drivers go...

[Eric B. @ Nov 15th 2007 6:27AM]

Wait. What is the differences between this and the Nvidea 8800?

[shuyin198x @ Nov 15th 2007 6:51AM]

Just read the review at tomshardware. Top tier 3870 is equal to the 640mb gts, but still behind the GT.
Quite bad for consumers really because online stores are jacking up the prices on the GT.

[Andir3.0 @ Nov 15th 2007 7:23AM]

I'm just sitting and waiting on the Newegg stock of the 8800GT that are SUPPOSED to be here today...

[shuyin198x @ Nov 15th 2007 7:28AM]

Everywhere is like that: "expected shipment on xx.xx.xx".
They're sold out even before they become in "stock".

[Rynth @ Nov 15th 2007 7:10AM]

For those of you in the UK wishing to buy:

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/135484

Looks awesome! I'ma get one asap.

[Devon @ Nov 15th 2007 7:12AM]

check out the reviews from firingsquad and anandtech- the 8800 GT spanks the 3870 without breaking a sweat at STOCK clocks. If you're at all competent in OC'ing, you can get another 100-150 mhz out of the GT (That's a 25% OC for those paying attention) and not only take on the 8800GTX, but in some cases surpass it. For less than 600, you can have identical or better than a pair of SLi 8800GTXs.

[Davo @ Nov 15th 2007 7:39AM]

Full review here at HotHardware.com:
http://www.hothardware.com/Articles/ATI_Radeon_HD_3870_and_3850_55nm_RV670/

[itot54joni @ Nov 15th 2007 7:58AM]

I'll be looking forward to that because I'm planning to upgrade my PC.It has AMD in it.

[DAZA @ Nov 15th 2007 7:53AM]

You do know even if you have an AMD processor you can use an nVIDIA graphics card, right?

[itot54joni @ Nov 15th 2007 8:12AM]

compac presario SR5110NX to be exact. itot54joni,blogspot,com

[David @ Nov 15th 2007 9:15AM]

i dunno... i have an Athlon FX-62 on an nForce board with a 8800GTX... i have no complaints, and after running a 9800 pro on my old box, i don't want to go back to ATI. when i eventually need a graphics boost, i've got an SLI slot just waiting for another 8800!

[Hax Or @ Nov 15th 2007 9:41AM]

My 64MB AGP aperature size does not like new cards.

Time for a new PC...

[Ethan Rom @ Nov 15th 2007 9:57AM]

You think you have it bad. I still have a PCI Radeon 7500 and no AGP or PCIexpress slot on my PC.

Time for a new one?

[mike @ Nov 15th 2007 9:57AM]

"spanks"???? For those of us that don't need every last fps and value a low noise signature, this looks great.

From Anandtech ...

"Honestly, the Radeon HD 3870 stays very close to the 8800 GT"

"If AMD can actually meet its price expectations then it looks like the 3870 is actually competitive. It's slower than the 8800 GT, but the price compensates"

[Matt @ Nov 15th 2007 11:26AM]

I still think AMD/ATI should be ashamed of themselves for relaunching the HD2000 series under the HD3000 series numbering. No architectural changes besides a die shrink and adding DX10.1...

And they STILL can't compete on the high end market.

I really wonder how much longer this can go on for.

[UKNigel @ Nov 15th 2007 11:57AM]

Now if only the Linux drivers from ATI weren't total crap...

[freakmarket @ Nov 15th 2007 2:23PM]

These are gaming cards ... what is there like 2 games available for Linux?

[UKNigel @ Nov 16th 2007 11:07AM]

Nah actually there are a lot, they just don't get much publicity. Also Wine is so good these days I can play quite a few Windows games, except the really demanding 3D ones which the drivers can't handle.

[loci @ Nov 15th 2007 2:55PM]

go away

[grymourne @ Nov 15th 2007 5:31PM]

Off topic here. I live in boonies and just bought a computer with a ATI Radeon X1250, A friend said the card was suppose to be the stuff. I just got hellfire london. And can't get it to run. Down loaded drivers. Am i just a idiot and need a better video card (any advise on a cheap one would be great) or is there a site ( or something else i need to do.

[suka @ Apr 23rd 2008 2:19AM]

naa youre not an idiot. youre just an average person who doesnt know much about computer hardware. its understandable, though. little shit companies always target these types of people for their hardware scams.If i were you id take your computer back and wait till after christmas. save your money till next year begins, coz prices of hardware will drop. reply to my comment with the types of games that you wanna play and ill help you out.

[Trooper1947 @ Nov 16th 2007 9:36AM]

Tom's hardware did it again . Tested these new cards on old WINXP which is not even dx10 or 10.1 compatible or useable ! Those benchmarks and tests are useless and have no meaning whatsoever ! They tested old games ... on an outdated and soon to be dumped by microsoft OS !!! I am wondering how much NVIDIA pays Tom's Hardware to do lousey useless crap tests and advise consumers ??? Yea if you don't want video hardware for any new or future game buy an outdated nvidia card ... those tests and benchmarks are useless and show nothing but that the testers there .... are bias for last gen high power sucking ... extremely hot running .... out dated hardware !!!!

[Trooper1947 @ Nov 16th 2007 11:32AM]

GOTO newegg.com .... they have all you want !!! Immediate shipment .... already ordered mine !!! Only $219.00 to your door !

[cometbit @ Dec 14th 2007 12:10PM]

ATI 3870 card much better than nvidia 8800
with less price