Radeon HD 4870 X2: Four Cards Compared

Features
By
Published

Power Consumption, Noise Level, And Temperature

The power consumption in watts refers to the whole test platform. The 2D value is the normal Windows desktop without load or Aero interface (minimum value); the 3D value is measured when the CPU and graphics card run at maximum load (peak value). Thus, the start-up screen of Mass Effect (using the UT3 engine) is used at 1920x1200 pixels without anti-aliasing, and the CPU reaches a load of 100 percent.

Because all measurements were taken at the power outlet, you will have to multiply the measured power consumption (in watts) by the efficiency factor of 0.83 to get the true power supply load.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Power consumption in watts 2D (Vista Desktop) 3D (Mass Effect)
GeForce GTX 280 SLI (1024 MB) QX@3.67 239 633
GeForce GTX 280 SLI (1024 MB) X68@2.93 203 540
GeForce GTX 280 (1024 MB) QX@3.67 154 375/395
GeForce GTX 280 (1024 MB) X68@2.93 117 352
GeForce GTX 260 SLI (896 MB) QX@3.67 236 664
GeForce GTX 260 SLI (896 MB) X68@2.93 211 610
GeForce GTX 260 (896 MB) QX@3.67 154 366/375
GeForce GTX 260 (896 MB) X68@2.93 111 336
GeForce 9800 GX2 (2x512 MB) QX@3.67 211 415
GeForce 9800 GX2 (2x512 MB) X68@2.93 173 368
GeForce 9800 GTX+ (512 MB) QX@3.67 163 303
GeForce 9800 GTX+ (512 MB) X68@2.93 119 257
Radeon HD 4870 X2 4CF (4x1024 MB) QX@3.67 295 775
HIS HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) OC QX@3.67 202 480
HIS HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) QX@3.67 202 475
Asus HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) Top OC QX@3.67 202 485
Asus HD 4870 X2 Top OC with Smart Doctor QX@3.67 202 475
MSI HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) OC QX@3.67 201 465
Sapphire HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) OC QX@3.67 201 470
Sapphire HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) QX@3.67 202 468
Radeon HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) X68@2.93 202 430
Radeon HD 4870 CF (512 MB) QX@3.67 280 505
Radeon HD 4870 CF (512 MB) X68@2.93 242 460
Radeon HD 4870 (512 MB) QX@3.67 189 324
Radeon HD 4870 (512 MB) X68@2.93 147 288
Radeon HD 4850 CF (512 MB) QX@3.67 220 420
Radeon HD 4850 CF (512 MB) X68@2.93 177 367
Radeon HD 4850 (512 MB) QX@3.67 165 283
Radeon HD 4850 (512 MB) X68@2.93 122 237
Radeon HD 4670 (512 MB) X68@2.93 81 173

The combination of Asus with Catalyst 8.10 plus Smart Doctor gives several values for noise level and temperature, which are caused by the erroneous fan profiles mentioned earlier in the article. The given results all appeared, depending on the fan speed when starting the full load test.

Latest Videos FromTom's Hardware
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Noise level measurement (1m) 2D dB(A) 3D dB(A)
GeForce GTX 280 SLI (1024 MB) QX@3.67 39.2 47.9-48.5
GeForce GTX 280 SLI (1024 MB) X68@2.93 39.0 48.8-49.4
GeForce GTX 280 (1024 MB) QX@3.67 38.7 44.5/48.8
GeForce GTX 280 (1024 MB) X68@2.93 37.7 54.5-54.7
GeForce GTX 260 SLI (896 MB) QX@3.67 39.5 55.7-56.0
GeForce GTX 260 SLI (896 MB) X68@2.93 39.6 55.1-56.0
GeForce GTX 260 (896 MB) QX@3.67 38.8 53.7-54.2
GeForce GTX 260 (896 MB) X68@2.93 38.1-44.2 53.5-54.0
GeForce 9800 GX2 (2x512 MB) QX@3.67 38.4 53.4
GeForce 9800 GX2 (2x512 MB) X68@2.93 38.4 53.6-54.1
GeForce 9800 GTX+ (512 MB) QX@3.67 36.9 39.8-40.4
GeForce 9800 GTX+ (512 MB) X68@2.93 37.1 39.8-40.4
Radeon HD 4870 X2 4CF (4x1024 MB) QX@3.67 38.3 55.0
HIS HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) OC QX@3.67 37.5 48.8-50.0
HIS HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) QX@3.67 37.5 48.8-50.0
Asus HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) Top OC QX@3.67 37.0 48.8-50.0
Asus HD 4870 X2 Top OC with Smart Doctor QX@3.67 46.2 48.8/54.1/56.3
MSI HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) OC QX@3.67 52.2 52.2-62.2
Sapphire HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) OC QX@3.67 37.5 49.0-50.0
Sapphire HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) QX@3.67 37.5 48.0
Radeon HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) X68@2.93 37.5 48.7
Radeon HD 4870 CF (512 MB) QX@3.67 39.7 48.1-50.0
Radeon HD 4870 CF (512 MB) X68@2.93 41.8-42.4 53.7-54.5
Radeon HD 4870 (512 MB) QX@3.67 37.6 40.8-42.5
Radeon HD 4870 (512 MB) X68@2.93 35.5 45.5-46.0
Radeon HD 4850 CF (512 MB) QX@3.67 37.2 45.5
Radeon HD 4850 CF (512 MB) X68@2.93 36.3 46.0
Radeon HD 4850 (512 MB) QX@3.67 37.5 40.4
Radeon HD 4850 (512 MB) X68@2.93 36.3 41.2
Radeon HD 4670 (512 MB) X68@2.93 37.5 37.8

For SLI and GX2 you will find several values, which refer to each GPU. For Crossfire, we’ve put the value of the primary, hotter GPU into the table.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Temperature in degree Celsius 2D (Vista Desktop) 3D (Mass Effect)
GeForce GTX 280 SLI (1024 MB) QX@3.67 49/47 85/86
GeForce GTX 280 SLI (1024 MB) X68@2.93 48/50 82/83
GeForce GTX 280 (1024 MB) QX@3.67 46 83
GeForce GTX 280 (1024 MB) X68@2.93 53 85
GeForce GTX 260 SLI (896 MB) QX@3.67 46/50 100/98
GeForce GTX 260 SLI (896 MB) X68@2.93 49/64 101/105
GeForce GTX 260 (896 MB) QX@3.67 46 90/105
GeForce GTX 260 (896 MB) X68@2.93 45-49 105
GeForce 9800 GX2 (2x512 MB) QX@3.67 63/65 86/82
GeForce 9800 GX2 (2x512 MB) X68@2.93 68/71 87/91
GeForce 9800 GTX+ (512 MB) QX@3.67 48 78
GeForce 9800 GTX+ (512 MB) X68@2.93 49 78
Radeon HD 4870 X2 4CF (4x1024 MB) QX@3.67 76 91-92
HIS HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) OC QX@3.67 72 95
HIS HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) QX@3.67 72 92
Asus HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) Top OC QX@3.67 78 89
Asus HD 4870 X2 Top OC with Smart Doctor QX@3.67 45 74/96
MSI HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) OC QX@3.67 43 76-80
Sapphire HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) OC QX@3.67 66 84-86
Sapphire HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) QX@3.67 64 86-87
Radeon HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) X68@2.93 72 92
Radeon HD 4870 CF (512 MB) QX@3.67 80 88-90
Radeon HD 4870 CF (512 MB) X68@2.93 63 73
Radeon HD 4870 (512 MB) QX@3.67 76 84-85
Radeon HD 4870 (512 MB) X68@2.93 76 83-85
Radeon HD 4850 CF (512 MB) QX@3.67 79 87-88
Radeon HD 4850 CF (512 MB) X68@2.93 80 83-85
Radeon HD 4850 (512 MB) QX@3.67 74 86
Radeon HD 4850 (512 MB) X68@2.93 78 83-85
Radeon HD 4670 (512 MB) X68@2.93 38 85