Radeon HD 4870 X2: Four Cards Compared

Page 32 of 37:

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.

Swipe to scroll horizontally

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

Article continues below

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Noise level measurement (1m)	2D dB(A)	3D dB(A)
GeForce GTX 280 SLI (1024 MB) [email protected]	39.2	47.9-48.5
GeForce GTX 280 SLI (1024 MB) [email protected]	39.0	48.8-49.4
GeForce GTX 280 (1024 MB) [email protected]	38.7	44.5/48.8
GeForce GTX 280 (1024 MB) [email protected]	37.7	54.5-54.7
GeForce GTX 260 SLI (896 MB) [email protected]	39.5	55.7-56.0
GeForce GTX 260 SLI (896 MB) [email protected]	39.6	55.1-56.0
GeForce GTX 260 (896 MB) [email protected]	38.8	53.7-54.2
GeForce GTX 260 (896 MB) [email protected]	38.1-44.2	53.5-54.0
GeForce 9800 GX2 (2x512 MB) [email protected]	38.4	53.4
GeForce 9800 GX2 (2x512 MB) [email protected]	38.4	53.6-54.1
GeForce 9800 GTX+ (512 MB) [email protected]	36.9	39.8-40.4
GeForce 9800 GTX+ (512 MB) [email protected]	37.1	39.8-40.4
Radeon HD 4870 X2 4CF (4x1024 MB) [email protected]	38.3	55.0
HIS HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) OC [email protected]	37.5	48.8-50.0
HIS HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) [email protected]	37.5	48.8-50.0
Asus HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) Top OC [email protected]	37.0	48.8-50.0
Asus HD 4870 X2 Top OC with Smart Doctor [email protected]	46.2	48.8/54.1/56.3
MSI HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) OC [email protected]	52.2	52.2-62.2
Sapphire HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) OC [email protected]	37.5	49.0-50.0
Sapphire HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) [email protected]	37.5	48.0
Radeon HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) [email protected]	37.5	48.7
Radeon HD 4870 CF (512 MB) [email protected]	39.7	48.1-50.0
Radeon HD 4870 CF (512 MB) [email protected]	41.8-42.4	53.7-54.5
Radeon HD 4870 (512 MB) [email protected]	37.6	40.8-42.5
Radeon HD 4870 (512 MB) [email protected]	35.5	45.5-46.0
Radeon HD 4850 CF (512 MB) [email protected]	37.2	45.5
Radeon HD 4850 CF (512 MB) [email protected]	36.3	46.0
Radeon HD 4850 (512 MB) [email protected]	37.5	40.4
Radeon HD 4850 (512 MB) [email protected]	36.3	41.2
Radeon HD 4670 (512 MB) [email protected]	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) [email protected]	49/47	85/86
GeForce GTX 280 SLI (1024 MB) [email protected]	48/50	82/83
GeForce GTX 280 (1024 MB) [email protected]	46	83
GeForce GTX 280 (1024 MB) [email protected]	53	85
GeForce GTX 260 SLI (896 MB) [email protected]	46/50	100/98
GeForce GTX 260 SLI (896 MB) [email protected]	49/64	101/105
GeForce GTX 260 (896 MB) [email protected]	46	90/105
GeForce GTX 260 (896 MB) [email protected]	45-49	105
GeForce 9800 GX2 (2x512 MB) [email protected]	63/65	86/82
GeForce 9800 GX2 (2x512 MB) [email protected]	68/71	87/91
GeForce 9800 GTX+ (512 MB) [email protected]	48	78
GeForce 9800 GTX+ (512 MB) [email protected]	49	78
Radeon HD 4870 X2 4CF (4x1024 MB) [email protected]	76	91-92
HIS HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) OC [email protected]	72	95
HIS HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) [email protected]	72	92
Asus HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) Top OC [email protected]	78	89
Asus HD 4870 X2 Top OC with Smart Doctor [email protected]	45	74/96
MSI HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) OC [email protected]	43	76-80
Sapphire HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) OC [email protected]	66	84-86
Sapphire HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) [email protected]	64	86-87
Radeon HD 4870 X2 (2x1024 MB) [email protected]	72	92
Radeon HD 4870 CF (512 MB) [email protected]	80	88-90
Radeon HD 4870 CF (512 MB) [email protected]	63	73
Radeon HD 4870 (512 MB) [email protected]	76	84-85
Radeon HD 4870 (512 MB) [email protected]	76	83-85
Radeon HD 4850 CF (512 MB) [email protected]	79	87-88
Radeon HD 4850 CF (512 MB) [email protected]	80	83-85
Radeon HD 4850 (512 MB) [email protected]	74	86
Radeon HD 4850 (512 MB) [email protected]	78	83-85
Radeon HD 4670 (512 MB) [email protected]	38	85

Current page: Power Consumption, Noise Level, And Temperature

Prev Page Performance Gain From CPU And Graphics Driver Next Page Ratio of Overall Performance And Power Consumption

TOPICS

79 Comments Comment from the forums

Not only do we have four super-fast Radeon HD 4870 X2s to test, but also a list of 31 other graphics configurations including CrossFire and SLI setups. If you're in the market for AMD's fastest card available, you'll want to see this.

Radeon HD 4870 X2: Four Cards Compared: Read more
Reply
neiroatopelcc

"Because of accessories and price, Sapphire is our best-buy recommendation."
One slight warning about sapphire though. If you have problems, don't expect their support team to help you before you've solved the problem yourself!

I made a ticket regarding some issues with my 4870 on august 7th, and received a reply on the 26th of september! That's 46 days to address an error they simply stated would go away with a bios upgrade from their homepage!

As for the article, I actually liked the detailed driver errors they encountered. Not that I liked the errors themselves, but I liked them being explained. Usually you just read 'after spending some hours resolving driver errors....' Without getting any wiser.
Reply
Pei-chen

Wow, AMD cards consume power like a Detroit SUV. I like Nvidia GTX 2xx series’ Toyota Prius like efficiency at idle.
Reply
ilovebarny

Why didnt they use the GTX260 Core 216? Its like way better than the regular GTX260. And i just read yesterday that Nvidia was only going to make GTX260 Core 216 now. Http://www.fudzilla.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10497&Itemid=1
Reply
ilovebarny

And i wish they had SLI'ed the 9800GTX+.
Reply
Chizops

Why didn't they try using core i7 (extreme maybe)
Reply
enforcer22

Pei-chenWow, AMD cards consume power like a Detroit SUV. I like Nvidia GTX 2xx series’ Toyota Prius like efficiency at idle.

Hmm your right. Power house vs crippled mouse.. Yeah your analagy sucked im sure mine did to but all i saw from what you typed was i like weak stuff dont give me more power.
Reply
bdollar

seems to me if you are going to be comparing the highest end cards and even crossfire them for 4x you would have the highest resolution as one of the options. I would think people considering going x2 in crossfire would consider a 30" screen.

Don't get me wrong, i liked the article but would have liked to have seen the resolution spectrum hit the top.
Reply
It's nice to see the 9800GX2 included in the tests. I was considering the 4870x2 due to all the rave reviews but they never had the comparison like this against my current 9800GX2. I won't be getting new card anytime soon it seems. Thanks.
Reply
cleeve

Wow, tons of info there, Tino. Nicely done!
Reply

Show more comments