Official HD4870X2 (R700) Review Thread

[roofsniper]

is there a review which has the 4870, 4870x2 and 3870 xfire all benched and tested in the same review? trying to decide if i should get another 3870, a 4870 or a 4870x2.

[cegras]

Then I guess there is nothing wrong with my statement then :P

Actually, there is, because the context of your statement is in the crossfire / SLI FUD / truth sense, while Cooper's is (probably) the real truth behind the 'microstuttering.'

[YukonTrooper]

Canadian Sirs don't say the B word.

Why don'tcha git yer hands off my maple syrup, eh?

[initialised]

Props to Hardware Canucks, they used a 3.9GHz Quad-core and recognised the need to pair the cards in a decent system! Some reviews have 4 GPUs on a 3GHz dual-core... it's not doing the cards the justice they seem to deserve?!

Yeah, like Guru3D's 3GHz C2D with 2GB DDR3 for crossfire testing with a 4GB framebuffer! When will they learn (or buy a Quad)

[Aberration]

Actually, there is, because the context of your statement is in the crossfire / SLI FUD / truth sense, while Cooper's is (probably) the real truth behind the 'microstuttering.'

Its not that he is wrong, I think it is just not honest to look at microstuttering in the first 60 seconds of a game like that last review did for the 4870x2, and claim that MS is still present.

Even though I dont get MS with my 8800GT in the true sense, when I first load into a game or change maps, for a few seconds I get stutter.

So hopefully with these on the market now the issue can really be looked at better than it has previously.

[NPI]

I got mine today!

[mascaras]

only if you have Vista
Under XP the HD4870X2 doesn't cope well with AA

dont know about windows XP , but with windows vista 64bit + SP1 + catalyst 8.8 beta its OK >> http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...d.php?t=198045


more games soon (I just received the card today) !!



PS: the catalyst driver from the CD suks a lot !!!!


crysis 1680x1050 Very high = 32 fps ( CD driver)

Crysis 1680x1050 Very High = 40 fps ( cat 8.8 beta)

Crysis 1680x1060 Very High + AA 4x = 36 Fps ( cat 8.8 beta)



regards

[jmke]

under XP definitely less forgiving
on Vista you get almost free 4xAA

what are your numbers at High settings (instead of Very high) comparing 4xAA to noAA

[ether.real]

Dude, do you know that ATI cards only have 2x, 4x, 8x and then all the Custom AA modes? All your tests with 8xQ, 16x, and 16xQ are useless. Also I don't know what game are you playing, Crysis on ATI cards doesn't support 16xAA from the game, and the last time I tested it from CCC it was not possible to force AA in Crysis

Or are you using 2x, 4x and 8x with some combination of CFAA modes?

I figured the QxAA was worthless. However, 16x can be forced from the driver. If you look at the screenshots in the review the difference from 8x to 16x is noticeable.

[ether.real]

Actually, there is, because the context of your statement is in the crossfire / SLI FUD / truth sense, while Cooper's is (probably) the real truth behind the 'microstuttering.'

You may be right, I dont know. Most of the time I think microstuttering is from hard drive caching due to people SLI'ing GPUs with little RAM (ie, 8800GTS 320MB). This should not be an issue with 2x1GB framebuffers. Regardless, it does happen on the X2, and not on the 280, so I figured it was worth noting that. Outside of initial loading, gameplay is smooth as butter, and I am very happy with it.

Consider it an observation from someone who hasnt done a lot of in-depth examination of the issue.

[ether.real]

Its not that he is wrong, I think it is just not honest to look at microstuttering in the first 60 seconds of a game like that last review did for the 4870x2, and claim that MS is still present.

Even though I dont get MS with my 8800GT in the true sense, when I first load into a game or change maps, for a few seconds I get stutter.

So hopefully with these on the market now the issue can really be looked at better than it has previously.

I hope I didnt come off as trying to pin the X2 as having an MS problem, I am not. If someone could come up with a reliable definition of what MS even is, much less a test for it, I would be glad to go deeper and find out.

[villa1n]

Why don'tcha git yer hands off my maple syrup, eh?

no dooubt abooowt it.

[cegras]

You may be right, I dont know. Most of the time I think microstuttering is from hard drive caching due to people SLI'ing GPUs with little RAM (ie, 8800GTS 320MB). This should not be an issue with 2x1GB framebuffers. Regardless, it does happen on the X2, and not on the 280, so I figured it was worth noting that. Outside of initial loading, gameplay is smooth as butter, and I am very happy with it.

Consider it an observation from someone who hasnt done a lot of in-depth examination of the issue.

Here is a better explanation, one that should be circulated to all the idiots trumpeting MS as the failure of multi-GPU solutions:

Nope. not if FPS is below monitor refresh....then the problem is something else.

Microstutter is exclusively:

high-framerates drawn, less displayed. You cannot measure Microstutter below monitor refresh..if your eyes are sensitive enough, you'll see issues at anything below monitor refresh, and it won't be due to the hardware design, it will most likely be software limitations.

people don't understand that the Crysis video I posted was with 60+++FPS, and they also seem to have neglected to read that the problem is @ 1280x1024, while 1680x1050 runs butter-smooth. The problem is evident only when framrate is above monitor refresh, and the system is obviously not gpu bottle-necked.

Like DevilMayCry4.... approx 300FPS, still stutter, @ 2560x1600. This is what happens when the crossfire connection is not capable of feeding rendered frames to the primary gpu...and does not show itself until the bandwidth of those rendered frames exceeds the bandwidth of the interconnect.

Anyone talknig about Microstutter @ 60FPS is just on the hypewagon, because it looked fun, but they do not know where teh wagon is headed...


Provides a good chance to see which reviewers are worth thier salt, and which are not, IMHO. I've yet had anyone contact me from online media asking about the issue...so I'm not too sure that they are even aware of what the problem is, nevermind that most don't have the hardware to properly create the issue.

[ether.real]

Here is a better explanation, one that should be circulated to all the idiots trumpeting MS as the failure of multi-GPU solutions:

I hear it defined as so many things, so who knows.

[y2kbos]

Crysis is the only abode left for Nvidia here, and even that, only in half the reviews.

The GT200b will half to be something else to beat this. The performance crown has shifted, that is undeniable.

Perkam

I dont know, a single card still appeals to me more.When a proper multi core card comes out, without the need for software and a connection between the two cards, I will happily move.But for now I will still stick with a slower single card.

GT200b will be slower no doubt, but it will probably give just as good a gaming experience.I look forward to seeing that.

[cegras]

I hear it defined as so many things, so who knows.

That's because it has been warped and has had offspring sung off it.

The real microstuttering is what is described in my quote. It is a perceived FPS that feels much lower than the reported FPS. Nothing more, nothing less.

Anything other than that is simply 'stuttering.'

[ether.real]

That's because it has been warped and has had offspring sung off it.

The real microstuttering is what is described in my quote. It is a perceived FPS that feels much lower than the reported FPS. Nothing more, nothing less.

Anything other than that is simply 'stuttering.'

How does that even make any sense. You cant perceive a framerate higher than refresh.

[Xion X2]

Nice review, ether.real. I give you props for being one of the few who are willing to push the card a little with the settings. Love the Crysis bench and hope I can expect the same when mine are up and running this week.

[ether.real]

Nice review, ether.real. I give you props for being one of the few who are willing to push the card a little with the settings. Love the Crysis bench and hope I can expect the same when mine are up and running this week.

Thanks, bro. Love the avatar.

[cegras]

How does that even make any sense. You cant perceive a framerate higher than refresh.

It is a perceived FPS that feels much lower than the reported FPS.

Read that very carefully.

[villa1n]

are there any samples or reviews floating around of it? seems it was announced same day, though i haven't seen or heard much about it in my net meanderings... would be interested to see the performance difference.
4870/4850 x2 announced

[cakofony]

I think by "It is a perceived FPS that feels much lower than the reported FPS. " he means that if you have 4 frames rendered in a second, frame 1 and 2 will come at you very fast, then there will be a short gap, and frames 3 and 4 will be displayed in quick succession. so it seems like both pairs are a single frame, creating the illusion that you are getting 2 fps rather than 4.

[ether.real]

I think by "It is a perceived FPS that feels much lower than the reported FPS. " he means that if you have 4 frames rendered in a second, frame 1 and 2 will come at you very fast, then there will be a short gap, and frames 3 and 4 will be displayed in quick succession. so it seems like both pairs are a single frame, creating the illusion that you are getting 2 fps rather than 4.

So wouldnt Vsync fix all that?

[cakofony]

I've never used crossfire or sli myself, but i dont think you can use vsync with either. It should give a high enough framerate that you dont have to.

[jmke]

For those into Crysis, I think this is an interesting find

Going from WinXP DX9 "High" to WinVista DX10 "Very High" at 1920x1200 4xAA causes a massive ~3% performance drop with the ATI HD4870X2... in other words.. under Vista you get higher quality out of the box with DX10 at the same performance as WinXP at "High" Detail... impressive to say the least! The Geforce GTX 280 doesn't fare as well, a ~47% performance drop!

Crysis AA Performance: ATI HD4870X2 vs NVIDIA GTX 280 --- XP9 vs DX10