Compare 4870 and Current PCIe cards

[dm_gsxr]

I currently have a pair of Diamond MM Radeon 4870 video cards in my home built system. I'm looking at the Best PCIe Card article and seeing the specs for the new gaming cards. Since the 4870 drivers/cards are garbage, I'd like to replace them with better GeForce cards but don't need the super high power (ie $500) cards, just somewhat better replacements for the 4870's.

I'm not doing very heavy gaming but am driving four 22" LCD monitors and would like to go into combined graphics card mode (Crossfire/SLLY(?)) mode from time to time. My gaming is mostly things like Diablo III and StarCraft II type stuff.

I'm trying to compare the 4870 specs with the cards in the review but can't find an equivalent spec table (or even the listed specs). I imagine I can get away with under $200 cards but wanted to compare so I make the right choice.

Thanks.

Carl

 

[dm_gsxr]

System specs:
Antec 900 ATX Ultimate Gamer PC Case
Corsair 750W CMPSU-750TX Power Supply
Gigabyte GA-EP-DS3R Motherboard
Intel Core 2 Dual Processor E8500
8 GB OCZ Fatal1ty DDR2 800 MHz Sticks
3 Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3740640AS 750GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard drives
2 Diamond ATI Radeon HD 4870 Video Cards
Creative Labs X-Fi XtremeGamer SB073A Sound Card
4 Acer G235H 23" LCD Monitors

Carl

 

[vilenjan]

Well if you only want Nvidia, I suggest the 560TI 448. Its faster than the dual 4870, and for the price its really good (aside from the AMD 7850).

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121480

The Nvidia 670 GTX is a great card, but it will be capped by your core duo.

 

[Kamen_BG]

if you want to compare the raw power of graphics cards you should head to gpureview.com

The only graphics card i'd use at that price to drive such a high-res gaming setup would be an overclocked HD 7970.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131471
It has more than twice the combined power of your 4870's.

Note that the HD 7970 is more powerfull than a GTX 680 at resolutions higher than 1920x1200.

 

[becomecooler]

hmmm, you may be bottle necking in your CPU. Your best upgrade may be mobo and cpu.

 

[dm_gsxr]

Well if you only want Nvidia, I suggest the 560TI 448. Its faster than the dual 4870, and for the price its really good (aside from the AMD 7850).

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121480

The Nvidia 670 GTX is a great card, but it will be capped by your core duo.

They're 3 slot cards and I don't have the available real estate for that. I was looking at the straight 560 which would fit and be close to my range.

Thanks

Carl

 

[dm_gsxr]

if you want to compare the raw power of graphics cards you should head to gpureview.com

The only graphics card i'd use at that price to drive such a high-res gaming setup would be an overclocked HD 7970.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131471
It has more than twice the combined power of your 4870's.

Note that the HD 7970 is more powerfull than a GTX 680 at resolutions higher than 1920x1200.

After being burned by the cards I currently have, I'm not interested in ATI any more. Blue screens on boot for the ATI page driver and if I put it into Crossfire mode, the system won't even go into safe mode. I have to pull the straps to bring it back up.

Actually I was looking for a similar set of specs as are displayed in the current best of list. That way I can see what card(s) are similar to what I currently have. And that way I can replace the current crappy ATI cards with cards that actually work.

Thanks for the gpu site. Maybe that'll provide the info so I can do a comparison.

Carl

 

[dm_gsxr]

hmmm, you may be bottle necking in your CPU. Your best upgrade may be mobo and cpu.

I'd need to figure out what you mean by that. The issue is I have crappy cards and I want to replace them. The system is a few years old so likely wouldn't properly support the current high priced video cards. But the system is sufficient for my needs. I'd like to find a set of specs for the 4870 that provide the same information that the current card article provides. That way I can see what cards are similar to the 4870's and can replace them.

So in spite of the crippled nature of the GeForce 560 (not Ti), if it is even a little better than what I have, it's a suitable replacement. Same with the 460. If it is just a little better, I can spend the $150 or so and replace the crappy ATI cards and still support what I currently do. Hopefully with fewer problems (or none).

Thanks though.

Carl