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AnandTech review is up.

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Originally posted by: Rusin
nubian:
HD3870 Crossfire loses to 8800 GTX (in games)? Not good.
Click to expand...

Crossfire 3850 ties a gtx. 3870 crossfire could easily beat gtx or even the ultra in any game.
 
thats some interesting figures on elite bastards... it shows the 3850 (not the 3870 even) CONSISTENTLY outperforming the 8800GT with AA/AF off at 1600x1050, and then falling behind when they are enabled... and always outperforming the 360MB GTS...

And in many games it supposedly shows a massive improvement over the GT even WITH AA/AF, beating it with everything, at EVERY resolution, even up to 2048x1536 resolutions... (which according to other reviews the GT is 170% faster then the 3850 at.)

To be blunt I think they are mislabeling something there somewhere.. I just can't see how this can be possible for a 256MB 3850 to outperfom the GT at 2048x1536.
 
It's no ordinary 3850. Read the third page again.

As we just discussed, the board we're looking at today is no ordinary Radeon HD 3850 - Did you think that 'Xtreme' addition was there just for show? Although the memory clock speed remains the same, PowerColor have doubled the frame buffer available to this board, to 512MB compared to the 256MB on a reference part. Next, they've given the GPU's core clock speed an almighty bump, up from 660MHz to 720MHz. Then... Well, let's take a look at the other changes offered up here.
Click to expand...
 
You know, I am quite pleased that AMD/ATi managed to pull this launch off pretty well, especially after the last few. That said, there's more to the launch than the first day so we'll see how the supply and demand works out.
 
Originally posted by: Azn
Originally posted by: Rusin
nubian:
HD3870 Crossfire loses to 8800 GTX (in games)? Not good.
Click to expand...

Crossfire 3850 ties a gtx. 3870 crossfire could easily beat gtx or even the ultra in any game.
Click to expand...

Only games that support Crossfire. Its even in the AT article.
 
I have to say that I am disappointed with the thermals for these cards. I thought they were going to run cooler. Also, any chance a driver update would increase performance, or are the latest drivers pretty much close to the best we would get for these cards?
 
Originally posted by: Rusin
Originally posted by: Azn
Originally posted by: Rusin
nubian:
HD3870 Crossfire loses to 8800 GTX (in games)? Not good.
Click to expand...

Crossfire 3850 ties a gtx. 3870 crossfire could easily beat gtx or even the ultra in any game.
Click to expand...

http://images.hardwarecanucks....U/HD3870/HD3870_54.jpg
http://images.hardwarecanucks....U/HD3870/HD3870_58.jpg
Click to expand...

1 Game? Multi GPU configurations change based on game and given Anand's review says that 2x3850=1xGTX in UT3 (representitive of most UT3 based games, bioshock, gears etc) and oblivion- logically 2x3870 would beat a single GTX in those benches.

On another note I am quite excited about the release of the 3800 series as the price/performance is amazing, I am now seriously considering a Crossfire (or maybe tri-fire? 😛) 3850 setup.
 
Originally posted by: Sylvanas

1 Game? Multi GPU configurations change based on game and given Anand's review says that 2x3850=1xGTX in UT3 (representitive of most UT3 based games, bioshock, gears etc) and oblivion- logically 2x3870 would beat a single GTX in those benches.

On another note I am quite excited about the release of the 3800 series as the price/performance is amazing, I am now seriously considering a Crossfire (or maybe tri-fire? 😛) 3850 setup.
Click to expand...
You can be excited, but we don't have here in Europe same price thing. In Germany HD3870 costs 30? ($43) more than 8800 GT 512MB..and in Finland these cards have similar price..still that 15% difference.

8800 GT 512MB's price will drop around 3.12 because of 8800 GTS 512MB which will cost $299-$349.. and should beat 8800 Ultra.
 
Originally posted by: Rusin
Originally posted by: Sylvanas

1 Game? Multi GPU configurations change based on game and given Anand's review says that 2x3850=1xGTX in UT3 (representitive of most UT3 based games, bioshock, gears etc) and oblivion- logically 2x3870 would beat a single GTX in those benches.

On another note I am quite excited about the release of the 3800 series as the price/performance is amazing, I am now seriously considering a Crossfire (or maybe tri-fire? 😛) 3850 setup.
Click to expand...
You can be excited, but we don't have here in Europe same price thing. In Germany HD3870 costs 30? ($43) more than 8800 GT 512MB..and in Finland these cards have similar price..still that 15% difference.

8800 GT 512MB's price will drop around 3.12 because of 8800 GTS 512MB which will cost $299-$349.. and should beat 8800 Ultra.
Click to expand...

You can get 8800GT 512mb cards right now in Finnishland?
 
Originally posted by: Rusin
Originally posted by: Sylvanas

1 Game? Multi GPU configurations change based on game and given Anand's review says that 2x3850=1xGTX in UT3 (representitive of most UT3 based games, bioshock, gears etc) and oblivion- logically 2x3870 would beat a single GTX in those benches.

On another note I am quite excited about the release of the 3800 series as the price/performance is amazing, I am now seriously considering a Crossfire (or maybe tri-fire? 😛) 3850 setup.
Click to expand...
You can be excited, but we don't have here in Europe same price thing. In Germany HD3870 costs 30? ($43) more than 8800 GT 512MB..and in Finland these cards have similar price..still that 15% difference.

8800 GT 512MB's price will drop around 3.12 because of 8800 GTS 512MB which will cost $299-$349.. and should beat 8800 Ultra.
Click to expand...

Pricing of not available cards is quite irrelevant, didnt you know that? Neither the GT nor the 3870 are available there. And as long as only a handful shops list a given product, you can expect the pricing to be fairly ridiculous to suck in pre-order fools.
 
Originally posted by: dennilfloss
It's no ordinary 3850. Read the third page again.

As we just discussed, the board we're looking at today is no ordinary Radeon HD 3850 - Did you think that 'Xtreme' addition was there just for show? Although the memory clock speed remains the same, PowerColor have doubled the frame buffer available to this board, to 512MB compared to the 256MB on a reference part. Next, they've given the GPU's core clock speed an almighty bump, up from 660MHz to 720MHz. Then... Well, let's take a look at the other changes offered up here.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

That's the card I'm targeting.

EDIT: But after the reading the benches, I've lost interest. Oh well. 🙁
 
3870 looks good if prices stay low as they promissed. Really huge improvement over 2900XT given performance/price ratio. WOW

I might get myself two 3870's for my next build
 
Any card with less than 512MB is of no use for anyone gaming at 1600x or higher. So the only released cards of the new generation worth discussing are the 3870 and 8800GT, not the 3850 or the 256MB of the 8800GT.
And of those two cards, the 8800GT wins every test, some by quite a margin.
The only downside for the GT is its availability right now... and the noise if you crank the fanspeed up; it really needs an aftermarket cooler or a 2-slot design that can fit a larger fan which will be quieter.
Nothing wrong with the 3870, except if you want to get the most performance you can while staying under $300. The GT is the winner in every contest except "I want to spend the absolute least I can and still be able to game on my 1280x display and maybe 1600x if i turn down some graphical settings". That's the only category the 3870 really manages a first-place finish.
For those who don't want to compromise a few settings in their games, they really can't look at anything less than a GT.
 
I ordered a Diamond 3870 from NCIX Canada. It said in stock so I ordered (although it says there "could" be a delay).

Anyone know what the warranty is on Diamond cards? It doesn't mention it on the website...which is a bad sign I guess. ATI really need some better partners...along the lines of EVGA and BFG. I chose Diamond because I haven't heard too many good things about HIS customer service. Lol, but then I haven't heard ANYTHING about DIamond customer service.

EDIT: Just got an email...product availability VERIFIED...order processed...only shipping left!!! 😀
 
Originally posted by: thilan29
I ordered a Diamond 3870 from NCIX Canada. It said in stock so I ordered (although it says there "could" be a delay).

Anyone know what the warranty is on Diamond cards? It doesn't mention it on the website...which is a bad sign I guess. ATI really need some better partners...along the lines of EVGA and BFG. I chose Diamond because I haven't heard too many good things about HIS customer service. Lol, but then I haven't heard ANYTHING about DIamond customer service.

EDIT: Just got an email...product availability VERIFIED...order processed...only shipping left!!! 😀
Click to expand...

When my HIS X1900XTX died a little more than a year after buying, I found that their cs pretty much doesn't exist. I concur with your sentiment about ATI and their partners need to provide better warranties and cs.

fwiw - I decided to go with an EVGA 8800GT. Though if EVGA produced a 3870, I would have been very tempted.
 
Originally posted by: yacoub
Any card with less than 512MB is of no use for anyone gaming at 1600x or higher. So the only released cards of the new generation worth discussing are the 3870 and 8800GT, not the 3850 or the 256MB of the 8800GT.
Click to expand...

not everyone uses a 1600x or higher resolution
 
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