http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/ Engadget Comments for AMD dubs HD 4870 X2 "world's fastest graphics card," benchmarks prove it http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/Aug 12th 2008 1:56AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/
I tested and passed an HP laptop with an Nvidia 7000 series GPU in it and 3GB of RAM. The goddamned thing claimed I met the requirements for medium settings but the game chugged along horribly at less than 4 frames per second.

Being able to play Crysis in VERY HIGH with all options turned on, I was only able to accomplish with a desktop I just pieced together.

HP Quad Core with 5GB of RAM and a Geforce 280.

CRYSIS is the ultimate test of hardware. If you can run it in VH, then your computer kicks ass.]]>Aug 12th 2008 2:26AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/Aug 12th 2008 2:39AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/
The Desktop comes boxed from Circuit City, but you've gotta add a video card, a monitor and whatever gaming elements you want - like a Physx card for example.

Fortunately, it came with built in wifi.]]>Aug 12th 2008 2:59AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/
I just built a ~$600 HTPC (AMD Phenom, ATI HD4850, 4GB DDR2) that runs Crysis @ very high at 1920x1080 with hardly any slowdown with some minor overclocking. Unless you're the type of person that absolutely needs 8xAA/16xAF (I'm not), Crysis can still look breathtaking and rarely dip below 30 Hz.]]>Aug 12th 2008 9:50AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/Aug 12th 2008 11:47AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/
What the hell kind of gamers are y'all? No wonder your performance is suffering. 2GB yields the best performance and overclocking; end of story. Go get something with D9's in them.]]>Aug 13th 2008 3:54AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/
Yeah, thats the nice thing about Crysis, even 20-30FPS is very playable due to the motion blur effects used. ]]>Aug 17th 2008 1:32AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/
I'm using 50% of my physical RAM sitting at my DESKTOP.]]>Aug 17th 2008 12:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/Aug 12th 2008 2:00AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/Aug 12th 2008 2:06AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/Aug 12th 2008 2:09AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/
A quote from one of the reviews "As you can see, the Radeon HD 4870 X2 isn't going to end up in any "green" PCs. When either idling or running under a heavy graphics workload, the Radeon HD 4870 X2 consumed more power than another single graphics card, and sometimes more than two single-GPU based graphics cards. "]]>Aug 12th 2008 2:09AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/Aug 12th 2008 2:11AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/
So the only option for them would be innovating more. That's the only option left for AMD as well. So your comment about not advancing is technology is bunk.]]>Aug 12th 2008 2:21AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/
And last I checked, it's working pretty well for Intel. I disagree with the comments that this is a "low-blow".]]>Aug 12th 2008 2:58AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/
I have full faith that this competition will be heated and this card is no where enough to knock nvidia from its throne.]]>Aug 12th 2008 3:02AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/Aug 12th 2008 3:20AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/
Someday, someday we will be able to run Crysis using just the onboard graphics chipsets.]]>Aug 12th 2008 3:35AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/
Sorry but you're wrong, Nvidia did NOT do the same thing with the 9800 GX2 (if by "similar" you were implying dual GPU per PCB).

The 9800 GX2 was 2 separate cards joined together by a quasi-SLI bridge, in a matter of speaking.

So, rather than 2 GPU's per 1 PCB a la the 4870 X2,
Nvidia's 9800 GX2 solution consisted of 2 9800 PCB's sandwiched together -- sufficed to say, it was an inferior and less elegant design. ]]>Aug 12th 2008 5:04AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/
I dont care if they used 3 PCB's, its still two cores attached via a bridge, and as long as they dont have heat problems (only the traditional +80C temperatures that Nvidia cards are known for, and after seeing the temps of the 4870, ATI cards), i, nor should anyone care. One is no less elegant or efficient than the other.

ATI should try making their cards more efficient when not being in use. They drain like ive never seen before. At least Nvidia implemented a low power mode for their new gen cards.]]>Aug 12th 2008 7:35AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/
"I dont care if they used 3 PCB's, its still two cores attached via a bridge"

CrossFire or SLI == slow speed bridge.

X2 == has cross fire (slow) bridge + dedicated bridge.

nVidia and ATI 3870 X2 are two cards glued together. 4870 X2 is two chips having dedicated bridge. Difference is that integration of the two chips on 4870 X2 happens on lower level, allowing more cooperation of the two chips during rendering. Drivers are apparently not there yet though.

RTFA the benchmark on Tom's Hardware (first linked). It has plenty of architectural info.

"ATI should try making their cards more efficient when not being in use."

I second.]]>Aug 12th 2008 8:01AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/
1) General compatibility issues that affects game performance (It seems like every other game I play has Xfire/SLI issues, although I'm sure it's no nearly that many)

2) Stuttering problems in many games, ranging from almost not noticable to nearly unplayable (in those games people usually end up disabling SLI/Xfire)

3) Not supported at all. This is a waning minority, but there are still a decent number of titles that will only utilize one GPU.

But in general, this card could be very good value for the money depending on street price. Most of the time you would be able to use the card to it's full potential, and the 4870 is still a great GPU on it's own.

I just don't think it's fair to compare the two cards, as they are not going to be equivalent in all games, depending on the Crossfire support. I would like to see a Tri-SLI rig of the GTX 280 going against a Quad Crossfire (dual 4870 X2) rig. That would produce some interesting results.

(Also, IIRC the 9800GX2 actually beat the GTX 280 on Crysis benches. And really, who gives a fuck if the design of the 9800 GX2 was less 'elegant'? It's the framerates that count, and it dished them out readily)]]>Aug 12th 2008 9:04AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/
Yes, that's what I meant by similar.]]>Aug 12th 2008 11:50AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/
intel did the cheapest trick by sandwitching 2 dual core cpu's in one vs amds true native quad core on a single die.

but just as cpus reached a single core MHz limit with little to no performace to heat ratio. multi core cpu's began to lead the way... just like multi gpu's per card will.]]>Aug 13th 2008 7:51PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/
If you want to compare graphicscard you look at the price and you make a best bang for the buck comparison. I hate it when people talk shit about but AMD has two cores and NVIDIA has one. Well then ur being f**** over by NVIDIA aren't you? I mean AMD's giving you two cores and the strongest card in the world for the same price or maybe more expensive Nvidia hcard with a humongous core that's slower than the 4870x2 in most of the benchmarks.]]>Aug 16th 2008 7:00PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/Aug 12th 2008 2:05AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/Aug 12th 2008 2:16AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/
But here you go. Even has GTX290 TRI SLI.

http://www.hothardware.com/Articles/ATI-Radeon-HD-4870-X2--AMD-Back-On-Top/?page=6]]>Aug 12th 2008 2:24AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/Aug 12th 2008 2:29AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/ too much power? two of these things is 560 watts! id like to see a 2x sli version of this beast it would eat it alive]]>Aug 12th 2008 2:56AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/Aug 12th 2008 2:57AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/Aug 12th 2008 4:57AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/Aug 12th 2008 6:47AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/Aug 12th 2008 6:47AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/
Nvidia has really dropped the ball with their latest generation.]]>Aug 12th 2008 2:26AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/(WHERE ARE THESE GRAPHICS CARDS AT?)]]>Aug 12th 2008 2:34AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/Aug 12th 2008 7:41AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/
(Or maybe they do - Series1,2,3 ?? LOL)]]>Aug 12th 2008 2:35AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/Aug 12th 2008 2:50AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/Aug 12th 2008 6:20AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.hothardware.com/Articles/ATI-Radeon-HD-4870-X2--AMD-Back-On-Top/?page=9]]>Aug 12th 2008 2:48AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/Aug 12th 2008 2:55AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/Aug 12th 2008 4:55AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/
However, when looking at the GTX260SLI speeds shown above (especially series 1, which is the most important), it looks like you can get a pair of 260's for the price of a single 280 and slightly better performance, depending on the game. So it looks like Nvidia isnt going to let this sit for too much longer, and spit out a GX 260 soon enough to compete, assuming they have the 55nm process ready.

549 was much more than i expected this card to be. I thought they wanted to destroy the 280, but considering you can get the 280 from retailers at on average $100 less than that, i would probably choose the 280 over this card, especially considering the 280 actually goes into an energy efficient mode, wasting little more than integrated graphics, while the 4870 seems like its full bore all the time.]]>Aug 12th 2008 7:28AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/
So what if its 2 gpu's on one card. Im paying the price for what nvidia used to make us pay for a single gpu solution.

Thats as FAIR as the consumer can get.

Im happy its not like the old 7950 sandwich.]]>Aug 18th 2008 1:44PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/
My 1400x1050 and I will not stand here and take this. Good day.]]>Aug 12th 2008 3:24AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/Aug 12th 2008 5:09AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/Aug 12th 2008 2:28PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/amd-dubs-hd-4870-x2-worlds-fastest-graphics-card-benchmarks/Aug 12th 2008 5:37AM