HD4870 + HD4850 in crossfire, anyone?

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apoppin

Lifer
Mar 9, 2000
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alienbabeltech.com
Quick update- i got my 4870/1GB and replaced my 512MB 4870 in CF-x3

if you are running with a 4870x2 and a 512MB 4870 in CF-x3, you have almost no disadvantage performancewise
- there is only one bench - PT boats - where the full 1GB of VRAM really makes a big difference .. a 1 GB card will breeze thru it; a 512MB card is a slideshow
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solofly

Banned
May 25, 2003
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Yep, I'm think I'm done with 512mb cards myself. These three HD4850s and a 9800GT are my last. 9800GT I use in my HTPC so I thought 1GB wasn't really necessary but as far as my gaming rigs, I'm done...
 

apoppin

Lifer
Mar 9, 2000
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alienbabeltech.com
Originally posted by: solofly
Yep, I'm think I'm done with 512mb cards myself. These three HD4850s and a 9800GT are my last. 9800GT I use in my HTPC so I thought 1GB wasn't really necessary but as far as my gaming rigs, I'm done...

saved you some money .. unless you play PT boats - which may work when the game is released - i can see no big advantage with 512MB over 1GB for CF .. and certainly not for 4850

you have great bang-for-buck, right now

fortunately it did not cost me too much for the "upgrade" .. and i am no longer nagged by the message in CCC's CFx panel - "your video cards are not perfectly matched but CrossfireX has been enabled"

cost me $75 to get rid of that message :p
 

Tempered81

Diamond Member
Jan 29, 2007
6,374
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Originally posted by: apoppin
Quick update- i got my 4870/1GB and replaced my 512MB 4870 in CF-x3

if you are running with a 4870x2 and a 512MB 4870 in CF-x3, you have almost no disadvantage performancewise
- there is only one bench - PT boats - where the full 1GB of VRAM really makes a big difference .. a 1 GB card will breeze thru it; a 512MB card is a slideshow
rose.gif

aren't you still on a p35 though?
 

apoppin

Lifer
Mar 9, 2000
34,890
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alienbabeltech.com
Originally posted by: jaredpace
Originally posted by: apoppin
Quick update- i got my 4870/1GB and replaced my 512MB 4870 in CF-x3

if you are running with a 4870x2 and a 512MB 4870 in CF-x3, you have almost no disadvantage performancewise
- there is only one bench - PT boats - where the full 1GB of VRAM really makes a big difference .. a 1 GB card will breeze thru it; a 512MB card is a slideshow
rose.gif

aren't you still on a p35 though?

look in my sig .. ASUS P5e deluxe .. x48MB soon to be flashed to Rampage

i just ran a few benches with 4870-1GB on the same platform i just ran 4870-512MB benches on; nothing has changed - and the 1GB version is slightly faster than the 512MB version

i wouldn't use either one for 19x12 :p

Multi-GPU is the way to go if you like max details and filtering .. however, if i had a choice - and clearly i did - i would not be stuck with 512MB VRAM for next years games - if PT Boats is any indication

But strangely, the X2 "mismatched" with the 4870-512MB version in CF as X3 was no slower than the "true" CF - with 1 GB all round.
- i am figuring it is the drivers

that said, X3 does scale .. generally, but nothing like X2 scales over a single 4870 - imo, there is real room for improvement with X3 .. Clear Sky crashes with it enabled - constantly or refuses to load; but it is OK with X2 or a single 4870

i have somewhat neglected 280GTX testing
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