HD4870 1GB vs GTX260-216 review

[Cookie Monster]

Link

This is the latest review of these two cards being pitted against one another. (also includes the GTX260/HD4870 512MB)

Theres also 8xAA benchmarks at 16x12/19x12/25x16 res.

 

[thilanliyan]

THanks for the link. I'm glad to see they included 8AA benches. Without the AA the cards trade wins but with 8AA the 4870 (both models) take every game except CoH. I wish the 1GB model would come down in price some more here in Canada. Bah I'll probably just wait till boxing day...bound to be a sale (hopefully). Unless the 270/290 cards perform very well or the 280 comes down in price even more...makes it tougher to choose then.

 

[Keysplayr]

For Quick Reference:

Note: HL2 and Oblivion tested only with 8xAA

WiC
4xAA/4xAF
4870 1GB / GTX216

16x12
50 / 48

19x12
46 / 43

25x16
31 / 28

-------------------
CoH
4xAA/16xAF
4870 1GB / GTX216

16x12
62.8 / 76.4

19x12
52.5 / 61.7

25x16
35.3 / 40

-------------------

CoH
8xAA/16xAF
4870 1GB / GTX216

16x12
59 / 62.3

19x12
48.9 / 49.4

-------------------
ET:Quake Wars
4xAA/16xAF
4870 1GB / GTX216

16x12
107.4 / 112.4

19x12
100.9 / 105.7

26x16
66.7 / 71.4

-------------------

ET:Quake Wars
8xAA/16xAF
4870 1GB / GTX216

16x12
94.9 / 85.6

19x12
86 / 72.4

-------------------
Lost Planet DX10
4xAA/16xAF
4870 1GB / GTX216

16x12
29.3 / 37.6

19x12
25.1 / 32.3

25x16
14.9 / 19.2

-------------------
Call of Duty 4
4xAA/16xAF
4870 1GB / GTX216

16x12
99.2 / 106.3

19x12
85 / 96.2

25x16
55.9 / 66

-------------------
Crysis High Settings
2xAA/8xAF
4870 1GB / GTX216

16x12
38.7 / 37.4

19x12
32.9 / 31

Crysis Very High
2xAA/8xAF
4870 1GB / GTX216

16x12
22.9 / 19.6

-------------------

BioShock
4xAA/16xAF
4870 1GB / GTX216

16x12
80.5 / 96.5

19x12
70.5 / 78.7

25x16
42.3 / 47.2

-------------------

BioShock
8xAA/16xAF
4870 1GB / GTX216

16x12
75.8 / 74

19x12
65.9 / 65.3

-------------------

Devil May Cry 4
4xAA/16xAF
4870 1GB / GTX216

16x12
91.2 / 68.9

19x12
84.7 / 63

25x16
55.7 / 41.2

-------------------

Devil May Cry 4
8xAA/16xAF
4870 1GB / GTX216

16x12
84.5 / 57.1

19x12
76 / 54.2

-------------------

HL2 Episode Two
8xAA/16xAF
4870 1GB / GTX216

19x12
94.9 / 85.5

25x16
58.9 / 52.1

-------------------

Oblivion HDR
8xAA/16xAF
4870 1GB / GTX216

19x12
45.2 / 42

25x16
29.5 / 23.9

 

[JPB]

4870 1GB = 19 wins
GTX 216 = 17 wins

:Q

 

[pcslookout]

Very interesting results. Guess it depends on what games you play.

 

[Denithor]

So if you like lots of AA with your games go for the 4870 1GB otherwise you are probably better off saving a few bucks and getting the GTX 260.

It is interesting to note that we are finally seeing situations where more VRAM is actually beneficial (1GB vs 512MB). Remember the 1GB 2900XT that was no better than the 512MB model?

EDIT: I just wish the guys at Stanford would optimize the GPU client for ATi hardware, I won't buy a 4870 until I can expect at least the same performance as I can get with the equivalent nVidia hardware (when 4870 runs 2-3k ppd and GTX260 cranks out 6k ppd there's no way I'm buying ATi).

 

[Keysplayr]

GTX216 overall FPS = 2151.5
HD4870 1GB overall FPS = 2200.9

Folks, it can't get much closer than this.

 

[Elfear]

Interesting results for Crysis and Bioshock. Generally the outcome has been flip-flopped for those games.

 

[thegimp03]

Glad to see that after falling off the wagon for awhile, AMD/ATI has been back in the game and once again a strong competitor to nVidia in the past year or so. This is ultimately benefitting us to a great degree as we see lower and lower prices on upper mid-range parts.

 

[Cogman]

Originally posted by: thegimp03
Glad to see that after falling off the wagon for awhile, AMD/ATI has been back in the game and once again a strong competitor to nVidia in the past year or so. This is ultimately benefitting us to a great degree as we see lower and lower prices on upper mid-range parts.

Not to mention more and more R&D from both competition. When companies compete, you win!

 

[Aberforth]

4870 beats GTX 260+ in Far Cry 2 High End bechmarks: http://www.pcgameshardware.com...CPU_benchmarks/?page=1

 

[SSChevy2001]

Originally posted by: Aberforth
4870 beats GTX 260+ in Far Cry 2 High End bechmarks: http://www.pcgameshardware.com...CPU_benchmarks/?page=1

Nice! That's just want I wanted to hear, and it's with the 512MB version. Wonder if the 1GB 4870 will offer some extra FPS like it did with crysis?

 

[solofly]

Haha nvidia's eating dirt at 8XAA, and if you have a nice 37" LCDTV or larger then x8 does make a difference. In other words the bigger screen to more you'll appreciate antialiasing at X8...

 

[Vaktathi]

It appears that when no AA is in use, that nVidia has the edge, but as AA is racked up, the 4870 edges ahead, with the cards being roughly equal at 4x, then past that the 4870 ahead after that, and the 260-216 being clearly better when no AA is engaged.

 

[Cookie Monster]

Originally posted by: Aberforth
4870 beats GTX 260+ in Far Cry 2 High End bechmarks: http://www.pcgameshardware.com...CPU_benchmarks/?page=1

The results are pretty strange. A single GTX260 is beaten by the HD4870. But when AA/AF is cranked up, the GTX260 takes less of a hit. Then we have a GTX260 SLi setup beating the HD4870X2 prettyhandily even with 8xAA and 16xAF.

 

[Keysplayr]

Originally posted by: Cookie Monster

Originally posted by: Aberforth
4870 beats GTX 260+ in Far Cry 2 High End bechmarks: http://www.pcgameshardware.com...CPU_benchmarks/?page=1

The results are pretty strange. A single GTX260 is beaten by the HD4870. But when AA/AF is cranked up, the GTX260 takes less of a hit. Then we have a GTX260 SLi setup beating the HD4870X2 prettyhandily even with 8xAA and 16xAF.

It may be just that SLI scales a bit better in FC2 than Xfire.
And I guess it's not written in stone that ATI cards take less of a hit with AA in every game.
There are exceptions I suppose. But it could also be that the 512MB on the 4870 (I think somebody said that is what they used here) could be cramping it's style a little.

 

[OCGuy]

Originally posted by: solofly
Haha nvidia's eating dirt at 8XAA, and if you have a nice 37" LCDTV or larger then x8 does make a difference. In other words the bigger screen to more you'll appreciate antialiasing at X8...

Because everyone games on a 37" or larger and uses 8X AA.

Im getting more and more confident the 260GX2 (or whatever they call it) is going to take crown back. But then ATi will get it with the 5XXX X2 and then Nv will come back. Going to be an interesting 18 months.

 

[Tempered81]

Originally posted by: Elfear
Interesting results for Crysis and Bioshock. Generally the outcome has been flip-flopped for those games.

+1

latest drivers maybe?


also those FC2 benchmarks at pcgh were on cat 8.9's, and these firing squad are done with 8.10 rc2