Gainward HD4870 Golden Sample Review
Hi, this is first review ever so could you please let me know were I can improve it.
The Golden Sample comes with the standard 750MHz core and with 512MB of overclocked DDR5 RAM, which runs at 3.8GHz, instead of the standard 3.6GHz.
Card Pictures
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/m...iew/PicOne.jpg
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/m...iew/PicTwo.jpg
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/m...w/PicThree.jpg
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/m...ew/PicFour.jpg
Rig Pictures
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/m...1111111111.jpg
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/m...yComputer5.jpg
Test System
CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad @ 2.4GHz
RAM: 2GB (1GB x 2) Corsair Dominator PC2-8500 @ 1066MHz 5-5-5-15
Motherboard: ASUS P5E
Performance - Crysis
Settings: High Quality, 1680x1050 - 45FPS
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/m...nchmarkOne.jpg
Settings: Very High Quality, 1680x1050 - 31FPS
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/m...nchmarkTwo.jpg
Settings: High Quality, 1680x1050, 4xAA - 34FPS
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/m...hmarkThree.jpg
Settings: Very High Quality, 1680x1050, 4xAA.
Testing now, update very very soon :)
Performance - Half-Life 2 Lost Coast
Settings: Highest Quality, 1680x1050, 4xAA, 16xAF.
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/m...e-Defaults.jpg
Settings: Highest Quality, 1280x1024, 4xAA, 16xAF.
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/m...o-Defaults.jpg
Performance - F.E.A.R.
Settings: Maximum Quality, 1680x1050, 4xAA, 16xAF.
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/m...e-Defaults.jpg
Settings: Maximum Quality, 1280x1024, 4xAA, 16xAF.
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/m...o-Defaults.jpg
3D Mark
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/m...1-Defaults.jpg
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/m...3-Defaults.jpg
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/m...6-Defaults.jpg
Overclocking
I was expecting pretty good overclocking results since it has a better cooler and it’s a “golden sample” edition, I was not disappointed.
Max Core - 825MHz
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/m...erclockOne.jpg
Max Memory - 1150MHz (4.7GHz) :D
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/m...rclockOne2.jpg
Performance During Overclocking
Settings: High Quality, 1680x1050
Without Overclocking: 45.2FPS
With Overclocking: 49.1FPS
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/m...erclocking.jpg
Temps
The golden sample comes with a slot, dual fan cooler. This cooler kept the video card a considerably cooler then the stock cooler.
Room Temp
25C to 27C
No Overclocking - Auto Fan Speed
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/m...utoFanSpee.jpg
No Overclocking - 100% Fan Speed
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/m...00FanSpeed.jpg
Overclocked - Auto Fan Speed
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/m...toFanSpeed.jpg
Overclocked - 100% Fan Speed
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/m...00FanSpeed.jpg
Pros & Cons
Pros
1. Great performance
2. Overclocked
3. Better cooler, therefore lower temps, therefore better overclocking
4. Good overclocker
5. Quiet
Cons
1. The cooler isn’t the best looking
Finally notes:
I know some people will think that my Q6600 at 2.4GHz would restrict my HD4870 in Crysis, well i'v ran some test and even at 3.6GHz the FPS goes up my 1 at the most. Also i'm sorry I don't have many games.
So how did I do?
Thx for viewing.
Gainward HD4870 1024MB bios needed
Hey you guys, does someone of you have a Gainward HD4870 1GB bios for me? I have two Palit Dual Sonic HD4870 1GB's with which I experience a same problem with both cards. I want to try and flash a Gainward bios in the card for some testing. Physically the Palit and Gainward Dual bios cards are exactly the same.
I'm having the following problem: My Palit HD4870's, while in turbo mode (775/1000), wil NOT run the stock speed of 1000MHz (or 4000MHz) for the GDDR5 chips. I get artifacts in 3Dmark06 and Crysis. Artifacts consist mainly of tiny black specs and sometimes a little flashing or exotic colours.
If I downclock the GDDR5 on card 1 to 975MHz it runs artifacts free and for card 2 if have to downclock to 950MHz. (mind you, I'm NOT running crossfire, still testing both cards separately)
The chips used are Qimonda and are rated 1ns, so I'm very surprised to see that I have this problem with two differents cards. In reviews and most user experiences I read that the cards do at leat 1075MHz.
The GPU cores on both cards clock like hell though. 870 for card 1 and 850 for card 2, with stock bios @ 1.263v
It's not heat related because during testing I set the fan to 80% which keeps temps below 50 degrees, and after having switched to watercooling the problem remains
Does anyone have an idea of what could be the problem. With both cards having these problems I get the feeling it's not a case of a faulty card. I'm guessing it's bios related or something else