Asus' quad DVI-packing EAH3870 X2 1GB TOP gets previewed

As if a regular Radeon HD 3870 X2 wasn't enough to make you envious, the folks at HotHardware have now gotten their hands Asus' new EAH3870 X2 1GB TOP behemoth, which increases the insanity of the dual-GPU card even further with a full four DVI ports. In addition to making that lone s-video port look woefully out of place, those'll let you push out more pixels than you'll ever likely need across four monitors, with none of the compromises associated with lesser multi-monitor solutions. What's more, Asus' card is apparently even lighter than the original reference design for the HD 3870 X2, and you can rest assured that it'll be overclocked right out of the box. No word on a price or release date just yet, but HotHardware is promising to deliver a full review of the card if they can ever pull themselves away from their bank of monitors.

[Richard Lai @ Feb 1st 2008 4:09PM]

4 monitors around the end of my bed would be nice.

[bamboo @ Feb 1st 2008 4:11PM]

I 1st read about this card about a week ago, and has me very interested.
I don't think I would run with 4, but would love 3 monitors.
I have 2 at the moment, and go nuts when I have to use someone elses computer that only has 1.

[EpicWinrar @ Feb 1st 2008 4:12PM]

Oh my lorrrrdddddd. that's sure to give anyone with an affinity for games a gadget-gasm

[Saint Dumb Ox @ Feb 1st 2008 4:12PM]

1 - lonely s-video out
2 - expansion slots less on the back of my computer
3 - years before I'll ever be able to afford one
4 - beautiful monitors that this thing will run
5 - finger discount is the only way I'll afford the monitors.

[Neebs @ Feb 1st 2008 4:17PM]

Quad or triple SLI a few of these things, and we are one step closer to the dream of being about to form a circle of monitors, put porn on all them, and spin around.

[Allen @ Feb 1st 2008 4:24PM]

@Neebs:

That made me grin so wide to read that. Amazing, you have created the idea by which we will measure the pinnacle of human achievement.

[VeganFreak @ Feb 1st 2008 4:26PM]

@Neebs

lol, wut?

[James Cameron @ Feb 1st 2008 4:37PM]

With the card that look like that. You would expect it to double the speed of the 8800GTX but NOT!

[dave_engadget @ Feb 1st 2008 4:48PM]

I wonder if you'll need something like this card to power that curved Alienware display seen at CES?

http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/07/alienware-curved-display-rocks-crysis-at-2880-x-900/

[mark wright @ Feb 1st 2008 5:13PM]

Am I the only one to think the photo looks shopped?

[Bill @ Feb 26th 2009 9:52PM]

might be, that's what mine looks like :)

[dukemang @ Feb 1st 2008 5:13PM]

What up with no HDMI port?

[bamboo @ Feb 1st 2008 5:14PM]

@ James
Since when does how a card look mean how fast it will run.
It runs faster than the GTX (even better when they get better drivers up to date), and is as much as $100 cheaper.

[Jeff @ Feb 1st 2008 5:15PM]

How is this different than just slapping 2 videocards in your box?

[Bill @ Feb 26th 2009 3:24PM]

because you're not required to have a MB with dual PCIe video slots in order to run 4 monitors.
:)

[Ed @ Feb 1st 2008 5:25PM]

Al Gore, eat your heart out.

[mdm-adph @ Feb 1st 2008 5:43PM]

@dukemang:

ATI cards ship with an HDMI audio/video adapter -- just plug it into one of the DVI ports.

@jeff:

Not everyone has a motherboard capable of running two separate video cards at once (you need two separate graphic card slots) -- with this card, it's not an issue.

[computer.dude.28 @ Feb 1st 2008 5:44PM]

That "S-Video out" happens to be HD. Notice the 7-pin connector? I have an adapter for this port that outputs componant. You can get 1080p out of those.

[Leo @ Feb 1st 2008 6:28PM]

isn't there going to be bottle-necking if this is kinda TWO cards in ONE slot?

soz if I'm wrong, I don't really know a lot about GPU's... I suppose while here I might as well try to fix a big ass gap in my GPU knowledge -

Why can you buy GPU's from different manufacturers + what are the "good ones"? Gigabit, Asus? (or is there no difference??)

[wickedpheonix @ Feb 1st 2008 6:30PM]

Dear god...

Take a 4-monitor mount: $371
http://www.ergomart.com/multi-lcd-mount/AM-4-2P-multi-lcd-mount-dtl.htm

Take 4 of these: 183.17x4=732.68 (which includes shipping)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824009110

add it all up and you get: $1103.68. Considering the fact that a 30" is still a couple hundred dollars more... plus the coolness factor... this could actually be a reasonable solution (if you got that kinda cash) that KICKS BLOODY ASS!

Plus: a 30" has 2560x1600 resolution = 4,096,000 pixels. These have 1280x1024 = 1,310,720, times 4 monitors = 5,242,880 pixels, so you even have over a million more pixels of desktop space. I mean, the only thing that sucks about it is the bezel space! lol... but still I would so totally get that setup.

[Neebs @ Feb 1st 2008 6:41PM]

@Allen - You are aware that is a bash.org quote?

[Zeus.:God @ Feb 1st 2008 7:13PM]

@ Neebs,

Wait, since when can you SLI AMD/ATI cards? You're thinking of Crossfire, and you can only Crossfire 2 of these cards, whereas you can Crossfire up to 4 with CrossfireX on the standard 3870 cards.

[Shagpile @ Feb 1st 2008 9:44PM]

hmmm, what I find interesting is nobody has actually mentioned running flight sim. Probably the only game that would benefit from this kind of spec

[Nick @ Feb 1st 2008 10:22PM]

@Shagpile:
It's not about usefulness, it's about how cool it looks.

[Shan @ Feb 1st 2008 10:49PM]

What no display port? at least display port can feed several monitors from a single connection. Don't want to pay top dollar for a card that doesn't at least future proof for a while. Its a shame really considering ATI beat Nvidia by being the first with a connector and this card doesn't even have it.

[Brian @ Feb 2nd 2008 12:40AM]

Looks like this would do well on my current rig:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/44757855@N00/2233657955/sizes/l/

Not that my Radeon HD 3850 is exactly bad, mind you. Oh, and, no, I don't really own two 30" monitors. The one on the left makes a buzzing sound and is going back to dell (the one on the right replaced it).

[James Cameron @ Feb 2nd 2008 1:14AM]

lol@ bamboo

How faster is it against the 8800GTX?? http://enthusiast.hardocp.com/article.html?art=MTQ1NCwxLCxoZW50aHVzaWFzdA==
http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/ati_hd3870_x2/

Next time do your research. Most other 8800GTX prices are the same as the 3870 X2 that will be listing for.

[dale_nx26 @ Feb 2nd 2008 1:43AM]

but can it play crysis?

[I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY @ Feb 2nd 2008 2:31AM]

@dukemang @ Feb 1st 2008 5:13PM

"What up with no HDMI port?"


DVI and HDMI carry the same exact signal. So a simple adapter that changes the pin-outs will get the job done just fine.

[zfurie @ Feb 2nd 2008 10:11AM]

@brian

Next time hide the KY Jelly tube before you take a picture of your rig.

[athousandleaves @ Feb 2nd 2008 11:42AM]

as others have mentioned...
ITS NOT S-VIDEO

its a composite out that asus includes on a large majority of their video cards, it allows you to send component YPbPr signal to an HDTV

[Nick Darveniza @ Feb 5th 2008 12:57AM]

Well, I used to have two 19" (1280x1024), now, I have one 30" (2560x1600) and one of my old 19" - so I'd really like this so I can have three monitors and even it out (and make use of my spare monitor).
I want!!! I wonder... Two of these in cross-fire?

[Bill @ Feb 26th 2009 12:39PM]

well...
in crossfire you have 2 active DVI ports per card, so with 2 of these you have 4 monitors each with their own GPU and 512mb memory..

Please excuse the mess on(and around) the desk though....

http://bcs-bcs.com/img/systemwithside.jpg

:)

It's nice and when i get 2 more of the 24" dell monitors, it will be even better

[Bill @ Feb 26th 2009 12:41PM]

sorry, that should read "4 monitors, each with their own GPU" i left out a coma..
Bill