...have a 19" LCD now (1280x1024) and obviously either card will work fine. However, I will probably get a 24" in the next 6 months.
Biggest issue is noise. I don't care if its a manual or automatic utility, but I really want the card to be quiet at the desktop/doing 2D, and I don't care if its loud during games or 3D apps. Is the 4870 going to produce less noise in 2D use than the 4850?
I want the card, but am a little nervous about the noise.
Noise is a non issue, especially for a double slotted card. I have a 4870 and its dead silent when you don't mess with the fan speed. I took it up to 45% and its now the loudest thing in my computer. If you let the fan be on auto, it stays at 20% or so, very quiet.
You are about to answer a thread that has been inactive for more than 6 months. If you still wish to proceed, please ensure that your posting is original and does not duplicate or overlap any prior responses to this thread.