Radeon HD 3870 X2 with GDDR4 pictured

[Nosfer@tu]

3870 X2 is now getting closer, alot of informed guys have been holding out. Waiting to buy the 3870 x2. The GDDR4 version was just arround the courner and performance increase was supposed to be impressive. We still dont know for sure, but here are some pictures to kill time while we wait..

http://www.pcgameshardware.de/screenshots/medium/2008/03/Kopie_von_DSC05973.JPG

"What is improved? For starters, it comes with faster and cooler operating GDDR4 memory clocked (still a total of 1GB onboard RAM) at 2250MHz DDR which is up from the 1800MHz DDR on the GDDR3 version of the X2. Not only that, it also features a shorter PCB design with improved heat pipe cooler. If what we are seeing is the reference design from AMD, we are quite pleased. Regular X2 cards were released with just TV-out and dual DVI ports but the shots we are seeing of this card includes TV-out, HDMI and three DVI ports, which is much better.

By the look of the pictures, it would seem like the new and improved X2 is almost ready and would probably come out around the same time as Nvidia’s 9800 GX2 but we do not have any firm release dates yet."


http://www.pcgameshardware.de/screenshots/medium/2008/03/Kopie_von_DSC05957.JPG


Source : http://www.octeamdenmark.com/forums/showthread.php?p=12428#post12428

[Warboy]

thats a big PCB.

[w0mbat]

ähm, actually its much more smaller tha the old one.

[Warboy]

ähm, actually its much more smaller tha the old one.

really? I thought the old one was smaller since it had the Bridge in the middle of both GPU. This one has it under the GPUs because the memory is taking up the room.

[iTravis]

Finally something that worth waiting for?

[KoHaN69]

So wait, if
original 3870X2 used DDR3
the 3870 is DDR4
the 3850 is DDR3

and that was the only difference...

Shouldn't the "original 3870X2" be called 3850X2 ???

[Warboy]

So wait, if
original 3870X2 used DDR3
the 3870 is DDR4
the 3850 is DDR3

and that was the only difference...

Shouldn't the "original 3870X2" be called 3850X2 ???

true....

[Nosfer@tu]

So wait, if
original 3870X2 used DDR3
the 3870 is DDR4
the 3850 is DDR3

and that was the only difference...

Shouldn't the "original 3870X2" be called 3850X2 ???

yes but it was never called that. Problem is they now launch a second 3870 X2.
There goes logic :D

[Nanometer]

Geez, that's a monster.

[NH|Delph1]

Wait a second. That's a PowerColor card? Are you sure that's the new 3870X2 GDDR4 and not just their special version of 3870X2 which surfaced earlier?

Or was Fudzilla on to something bigger than it could understand?
http://www.fudzilla.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5427&Itemid=1

EDIT: I'm such an idiot, the cooler specifically says, GDDR4...

//Andreas

[dj.oxa]

damn big :)

[ChaosMinionX]

For what purpose? Especially on a 256bit bus......

[doompc]

So wait, if
original 3870X2 used DDR3
the 3870 is DDR4
the 3850 is DDR3

and that was the only difference...

Shouldn't the "original 3870X2" be called 3850X2 ???

X2's GPUs are clocked higher than the 3870:

3850 = 666MHz
3870 = 775MHz
3870X2 = 850MHz

[donitsi]

crappy looking cooler :D

[Psycho_eddie]

Since they made the PCB taller and shorter... why didnt they increased the height of the cooler looks silly being clipped on the top of the card like that... could of added a bigger fan then too!

But still, reason i didnt jump on the 3870X2 bandwagon was beacuse of GDDR3 limitations... didnt say buy me over 3870 CF with GDDR4 as standard... so im now with NVIDIA beacuse of this messing about by ATI/AMD

[donitsi]

FOR now with NVIDIA beacuse of this messing about by ATI/AMD

Welcome back with R700 :up:

(hehee sorry about editing you eddie)

[K404]

didnt jump on the 3870X2 bandwagon was beacuse of GDDR3 limitations... didnt say buy me over 3870 CF with GDDR4 as standard... so im now with NVIDIA beacuse of this messing about by ATI/AMD

LOL you class that as messing around? Have you had a look at nVidias game recently? :p:


Two questions about the new X2 if no-one minds:

Is the core mounting hole spacing more regular now? It looks it in the picture- does it match the original 3870 spacing? :)

Are there still issues with this card on PCI-E1.1 mobos?


Cheers!

K

[Morais]

I spy a 2x 6pin Power Connectors :hehe:

[junkun13]

how much performance gain compared to the ddr3?

[GunterFalstaff]

how much is this thing speculated to cost? if its pretty close to the original x2's im jumpin on the bandwagon... looks sick! =P

[Nosfer@tu]

X2's GPUs are clocked higher than the 3870:

3850 = 666MHz
3870 = 775MHz
3870X2 = 850MHz

Still it is hard to know what the difference is.

They call GDDR3 3870 X2 AND GDDR4 3870 X2.

Why not call it X3 ? :D

[NotFred]

Becuase there are still only two cores, not 3 :-P

Still, I see no problem with having a GDDR3 and GDDR4 variant of the same card. Nvidia got away with four different 8800GTS cards! Now that really was messing around...

Something nobody seems to be talking about... Isn't this card supposed to have a better crosslink chip as well, moving it up to pci-e 2 not just 1.1?

[[cTx]Raptor22]

yes but it was never called that. Problem is they now launch a second 3870 X2.
There goes logic :D

3750X2? Come on... :rolleyes:

[WangChung]

Man, that thing looks like a VESA card... Might as well be a Micro ATX motherboard that you're clipping in!

[HousERaT]

I want to see some benches next to the old version.

[LowRun]

I want to see some benches next to the old version.

Seconded.

[Origin_Unknown]

whens the release? i know it says the same time as the 9800 but whens that?

[Lunchbox21984]

I'll take 2 PLEASE!!!! :D

[Piotrsama]

For what purpose? Especially on a 256bit bus......
To increase memory bandwidth, regardless of the bus.

[Origin_Unknown]

on a side note Nosfer@tu , why didnt you link directly to the site with the info instead of linking to another post you've made on another forum with the correct link in?

http://www.pcgameshardware.de/?menu=browser&mode=article&article_id=634668&entity_id=-1&image_id=785155&page=1

[Hatman]

Erm, just to mention... if that card is indeed higher up instead of longer.. wont that mean that most crossfire bridges wont fit that with the normal 3870?? because it'll be higher..

Also i thought I heard that this update also includes other things such as a PCI-E2 bridge between the 2 gpus?

[Nicksterr]

one reason why you never buy a gpu on release date unless you know for a fact there will not be a standardized hardware update/change.

[[XC] Aerosupra]

To increase memory bandwidth, regardless of the bus.
yeah, and especially, or more significantly on a 256bit bus!

I spy a 2x 6pin Power Connectors :hehe:

all hail!(wonder what is the ratio between people runnin 8pin PSUs and the ones with adapters :D )

[xoqolatl]

I wonder what's the ratio of ppl using PSU that have eight separate cables for 8-pin connector to ppl using PSU with 6 cables connected to an 8-pin connector.
Let's see:
PCP&C TurboCool: 6 cables
Seventeam ST-1200E-AF: 6 cables
Enermax Galaxy, Liberty, Infiniti: 6 cables
Corsair HX1000: 8 cables
Corsair HX all other: 6 cables

So whats wrong with adapters? They basically are the same as most 8-pin connectors.
EDIT: Thermaltake Toughpower Cablemanagement has also 8 cables.
EDIT2: Silverston Decathlon, Zeus and Olympia series also have 8 cables. So it's almost a 50/50split in high-end PSU segment.

[DFI pit bull]

I counted 16 memory chips on the gpu side, so there are'nt any on the reverse side, right? If so then it's a good idea for watercooling I think.

[Nosfer@tu]

Raptor22;2817779']3750X2? Come on... :rolleyes:

What did I miss ?
Not sure I understand where you are going...

[Origin_Unknown]

I wonder what's the ratio of ppl using PSU that have eight separate cables for 8-pin connector to ppl using PSU with 6 cables connected to an 8-pin connector.
Let's see:
PCP&C TurboCool: 6 cables
Seventeam ST-1200E-AF: 6 cables
Enermax Galaxy, Liberty, Infiniti: 6 cables
Corsair HX1000: 8 cables
Corsair HX all other: 6 cables

So whats wrong with adapters? They basically are the same as most 8-pin connectors.
EDIT: Thermaltake Toughpower Cablemanagement has also 8 cables.
EDIT2: Silverston Decathlon, Zeus and Olympia series also have 8 cables. So it's almost a 50/50split in high-end PSU segment.

my Corsair (in sig) has 6/8 pin breakout blocks (2 pins snap on / off), it also has 4 of them :D

[hecktic]

there was a news post in this forum the other day saying that the radeon 4000 series will feature GDDR5 .... by the looks of things here, I would have to say that is the path this is going in.... so the hell with nvidia and their lame 256-bit GDDR3 9000 series cards

Nvidia better start catching up before its too late

[Crazystang01]

Is it me or are these 2 different but similar cards 1 pic shows with the heat sink with only DVI ports and TV-Out and air out the back of PC. The other pic with no HS shows with raiser card for the HDMI and other DVI port and no air out the back of PC. They going to offer 2 different types of cards?

[xoqolatl]

my Corsair (in sig) has 6/8 pin breakout blocks (2 pins snap on / off), it also has 4 of them :D

Yes, bu thow many cables go to the PSU casing? How many pins are there in the modular connector on the casing?

[GAR]

Welcome back with R700 :up:

(hehee sorry about editing you eddie)

Ive heard R700 is a dual chip RV770

[Dr.FuzzyBallz]

Nice, wonder when Nvidia will come out with their GDDR4.

[NapalmV5]

any chance of 2GB X2 ?

definitely more gddr needed at 1080/1200/1600p

[GAR]

Nice, wonder when Nvidia will come out with their GDDR4.

nVidia is going to skip gddr4, and going straight to gddr5.

[STEvil]

The extra two pins on all 8-pin PCI-E connectors are only grounds.

They are effectively useless since you're still limited by only 3 +12v supply wires.

[xt0m]

EDIT: I'm such an idiot, the cooler specifically says, GDDR4...

*giggles and pokes delph1* :D

[xlink]

For what purpose? Especially on a 256bit bus......

to make up for the bus...

[ChaosMinionX]

to make up for the bus...

I suppose....they should of done 512bit bus tbh...

[hecktic]

nVidia is going to skip gddr4, and going straight to gddr5.

and how do you know that ?

[Origin_Unknown]

Yes, bu thow many cables go to the PSU casing? How many pins are there in the modular connector on the casing?

its not modular

[Psycho_eddie]

and how do you know that ?

Im no expert in future paths of NVIDIA, but i too have heard that NVIDIA are going straight to GDDR5... good move in my opinion as GDDR4 has been adapted to cards allready so consumers wont be that exited if used on NVIDIA cards but will wet their pants when GDDR5 is used :rofl:

Other thing is dont ATI/AMD buy up all GDDR4 stocks/supplies so other competitors cant have use for them...

Besides back to topic am looking forward to 3870X2 revamped edition better cooler running memory and better layout!

With drivers now letting your have 3870X2 in crossfire ATI offers best performence in dual card senaro!

[Origin_Unknown]

release around march 25th?

[Scooby]

We need to see a hands on review, thats the only way we can see if GDDR4 makes it a selling point. Price will be something to think about too.

I guess we will have to wait til then.

[71 (Bryan)]

why does the cooler look like the one from the 7900 GTX????

[[XC] gomeler]

why does the cooler look like the one from the 7900 GTX????

Because it does, and the 7900GTX heatsink was perfection. Not sure why Nvidia strayed away from that design, it was pure sex in metal.

[darkorb]

look at the top and the second picture, look at the DVI ports, first has 2, second has 4?

Uhhhhh

[k0nsl]

gomeler;2821656']Because it does, and the 7900GTX heatsink was perfection. Not sure why Nvidia strayed away from that design, it was pure sex in metal.

Most likely because of production costs. It is a good design and I am glad AMD/ATI picked it up and uses it.

[Swatrecon_]

Most likely because of production costs. It is a good design and I am glad AMD/ATI picked it up and uses it.

MR. HOLLAND!

yea, it looks alright, but the fan should be forward more, imo.

[rusty]

how much is it going to be ?

[hecktic]

Im no expert in future paths of NVIDIA, but i too have heard that NVIDIA are going straight to GDDR5... good move in my opinion as GDDR4 has been adapted to cards allready so consumers wont be that exited if used on NVIDIA cards but will wet their pants when GDDR5 is used :rofl:

Other thing is dont ATI/AMD buy up all GDDR4 stocks/supplies so other competitors cant have use for them...

Besides back to topic am looking forward to 3870X2 revamped edition better cooler running memory and better layout!

With drivers now letting your have 3870X2 in crossfire ATI offers best performence in dual card senaro!

Very true and valid points... :D

[Origin_Unknown]

can anyone confirm the release date for the GDDR4 version?

[TyphooN]

can anyone confirm the release date for the GDDR4 version?

i would like to know as well :yepp: