

Using Ultra Quality settings, Far Cry 2 crosses the threshold from CPU- to GPU-bound. With one Radeon HD 4870 X2 installed, you get very similar performance across all five of our test platforms at 1680x1050. But adding a second in CrossFire shows where the Core 2 Quad and Phenom II get choked up, and where the Core i7 and Core i5 stretch their legs. The same as true at 2560x1600—you get amazing performance from a $199 Core i5 and two $400 Radon HD 4870 X2. Sounds disgustingly imbalanced, right? Nevertheless, Intel’s entry-level i5 delivers the goods.
A single GeForce GTX 285 actually favors AMD’s Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition, ironically enough, at 1680x1050, but the results even out at 2560x1600. SLI does help Nvidia here, but not nearly as much as ATI’s CrossFire. And because we didn’t test on the 790i or 980a chipsets--less common platforms than 790GX or P45, we say--there’s no way to tell how an Nvidia-based solution would fare against the three Nehalem-based builds.


We see a similar story with the introduction of anti-aliasing. The numbers aren’t as high, of course, but a single Radeon HD 4870 X2 is still constrained by our benchmarked platforms. Meanwhile, a pair of the flagship cards takes off when backed by either of the Core i7s or Intel’s new Core i5. AMD’s Phenom II X4 965 edges out the Core 2 Quad, but both platforms trail still.
In contrast, Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 285 favors the Core 2 Quad and Phenom II with only a single board installed. The SLI-capable X58 and P55 configurations demonstrate significant gains with a second card available, but again we’re left to wonder if SLI-equipped Core 2 Quad and Phenom II platforms would outperform the newer Core i7 and Core i5 chips if more prevalent motherboards were available for them.
- Introduction
- Bringing Out The Big Guns
- Test Hardware And Benchmarks
- Benchmark Results: S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky
- Benchmark Results: Resident Evil 5
- Benchmark Results: Far Cry 2
- Benchmark Results: Left 4 Dead
- Benchmark Results: Grand Theft Auto 4
- Benchmark Results: Crysis
- Benchmark Results: Flight Simulator X
- Conclusion
PS: If you want a 3rd and 4th player, you should go discuss x86 licensing with your beloved Intel...
I'd rather have seen 4890 and then 4890CF. That way you see single card performance compared to crossfire instead of dual corssfire compared to quad crossfire.
I do understand why the card is compared to the GTX 285 based on price though.
But excellent review, overall, I'm actually surprised at how the 965BE did, I thought it'd be behind, where it was actually right in the pack.
Great review.
I like vista, rock solid and stable since I got it years ago. Don't listen to the bashers who never have tried the product.
I get a good performance boost from my second gtx280 with my q9650 @ 4 gz
As mentioned in the story, these were tested on 790GX and X48 platforms, which don't do SLI. While there are Nvidia-based SLI platforms available for both configurations, I felt that they were quite a bit more rare and applicable to a much smaller contingent of readers than the CrossFire-capable platforms. The beauty of X58 and P55 is that they'll do both!
Regards,
Chris
I'd rather have seen 4890 and then 4890CF. That way you see single card performance compared to crossfire instead of dual corssfire compared to quad crossfire.
I do understand why the card is compared to the GTX 285 based on price though.
I wish there is a third and fourth player in the market so AMD won't sit on its butt and do nothing. AMD has this idea that “we don’t have to compete on performance, just make our product cheap enough and people will buy it”. That’s what doomed GM and Chrysler.
I wish Nvidia and NEC join/rejoin the CPU market.
I thought people should have learned by now that GPU~intensive tests say little about CPUs, except whether they're 'Good Enough', or not.
PS: If you want a 3rd and 4th player, you should go discuss x86 licensing with your beloved Intel...
Then, I can see x8 PCIe2.0 links hurting the P55 chipset and the X58 showing its true potential.
This will definitely affect SLI/Crossfire setups but I am not sure how it will affect single card solutions.
Agreed. Vista was pretty good after all the manufactures released the drivers. I still think Win 7 is better than XP and Vista.