Hd4870 vs hd4850

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rawirig

rawirig

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ok, ok i know this question has been asked like a million times already but i just wanted some help on my decision.

here are my options:

xfx hd4870: http://www.playtech.co.nz/product.php?action=showdetail&id=7954

xfx hd4850: http://www.playtech.co.nz/product.php?action=showdetail&id=7942

prices are in NZD

the main thing that is bugging me about the 4870 is the non-reference cooler, does anyone know how it performs? and also price, is $60 more for the 4870 a steal or does the 4850 have a better price/performance?
i will be gaming on a 22" 1680 x 1050 monitor.

other specs:
phenom II x4 b50 processor @3.1ghz
OCZ 4gb ddr3 1600 cl7
gigabyte ma770t-ud3p motherboard

thanks.
 
gkay09

gkay09

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The HD 4870 is the best option...It is faster than the 4850...
And as for the cooler, make sure you have good ventilated case as it would blow the hot air back inside the case...SO if you have good air flow, then there wont be any problems...
But you can check out these cards too...These have 1GB vRAM for the same price...
http://pcpacific.net/product_info.php?products_id=5005
http://pcpacific.net/product_info.php?products_id=5760
http://www.extremepc.co.nz/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=3335
 
rawirig

rawirig

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thanks for the reply, i think i'll get the 4870. i think i'll stick to the xfx 4870 because of their support and warranty, and i also live close to playtech which is a bonus as i can walk right in and not have to worry about multiple retailers. about the vram, i've read that it doesn't make too much difference between 1gb and 512mb at lower resolutions and i guess you could call my res low.
 
rawirig

rawirig

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ok thanks, i think i have good airflow, i have a cooler master elite 331 with 1*120mm exhaust, 2*120mm intakes 2*80mm side fans, 1 for cpu, 1 for video card i also have good cable management with all cords hidden behind hdd cage :)
 
gkay09

gkay09

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EDIT : Dint refresh...

^ Oh cool...then you are good to go... You can actually crossfire 2 4870s with that PSU but sad your mobo doesnt support it...
You already have the PSU are going to buy that one?
 
rawirig

rawirig

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lol i already have it :D i got it incase i got a new mobo and needed crossfire or sli and it was only like $10 more than 550w. i may be able to get the 1 gig but it's a bit of a stretch since i was origanally planning a 4850, will a 512mb 4870 be good enuf for most modern games at my res?

except maybe gta 4 and crysis
 
gkay09

gkay09

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^ Yes... Looking at the prices of other graphic cards in that store, this is the best option...
But again I would like to say that having 1GB would help more with higher settings...So browse more, check if there are any other stores nearby and see if they have a good deal on the 1GB...
 
rawirig

rawirig

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i'm not sure about the support but i think they have a 2 year warranty on their cards vs xfx's double lifetime warranty.. would it be worth getting the powercolor? the hsf looks alot nicer. the powercolor 1gb in total is $260 and the xfx is $280
 
D

darkvine

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The reference cooler of the 4870 is a piece of junk. The only think with some of these you have to worry about is all the heat put into the case, but if you have some good fans that is no big deal and your card will run cooler.


XFX has the best warranty but if you want the best cooler Sapphires Vapor-X is one of the best, the toxic is also good to and got a somewhat okay overclock on it from the factory.

Both are also cheaper then the one your looking at.


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102815&nm_mc=OTC-Froogle&cm_mmc=OTC-Froogle-_-Video+Cards-_-Sapphire+Tech-_-14102815

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102826&nm_mc=OTC-Froogle&cm_mmc=OTC-Froogle-_-Video+Cards-_-Sapphire+Tech-_-14102826

 
rawirig

rawirig

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lol prices are in NZD, but still, when converted the TOXIC edition is only $270 :( i wish newegg was in new zealand, everything would be cheaper and prices would be more up to date. lol some sites you see still have 8800gt's at like $500
 
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darkvine

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Ah, sorry about that, it's like 3 in the morning here and I hadn't been paying much attention but now you say it I actually noticed the price of the powercolor is more then they should be.


Well as to the warranty it really just depends on you. I like XFX as a company better, though I have never really tried Power Color. Either which should be good but also note that the resell on the XFX will be higher as they are a more notable brand.
 
gkay09

gkay09

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Actually the Powercolor is one of the companies that release ATI cards exclusively...
And frankly if you ask me I wouldn't worry about the resale value now...
Any good card would go for a dirt cheap price because there are always newer cards coming out...
But I would slightly be concerned about the warranty though...Atleast 3 years would be good...
 
rawirig

rawirig

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hmm, i think 2 years would be plenty for me. the big pros of the powercolor is that it has 1gb memory and a better hsf on the card. xfx does have a pretty black pcb though :p
 
rawirig

rawirig

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thanks, i think i will go for the xfx 4870 512mb, it should be plenty for my needs anyway. thanks for all your help in choosing my graphics card. how do i do the best answer thing?lol
 
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