System setup and notes
Hardware
| Graphics cards | Sapphire Radeon HD 4870 X2 2048MB | Force3D Radeon HD 4870 512MB | PowerColor Radeon HD 4850 512MB | BFG GeForce GTX 280 1024MB | EVGA GeForce GTX 260 896MB | BFG GeForce 9800+ 512MB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current pricing, including VAT | £329 (estimated) |
£168 | £115 | £280 |
£193 |
£137 |
| Shader model | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| Stream processors | 1,600 | 800 | 800 | 240 | 192 | 128 |
| GPU clock speed (MHz) | 750 | 750 | 625 | 612 | 576 | 738 |
| Shader clock speed (MHz) | 750 | 750 | 625 | 1,296 | 1,242 | 1,836 |
| Memory clock speed (MHz) | 3,600 | 3,600 | 1,986 | 2,214 | 1,998 | 2,200 |
| Memory bus width (Bits) | 512 (2 x 256) | 256 | 256 | 512 | 448 | 256 |
| CPU | Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650 LGA775 (3.0GHz, 12MB L2 cache, quad-core) | |||||
| Motherboard | MSI X48 Platinum (X48+ICH9R) | eVGA CK132 -NF79 (nForce 790i Ultra SLI) | ||||
| Motherboard BIOS | V2.3 | P06 | ||||
| Mainboard software | Intel Inf 9.0.0.1008 | NVIDIA device driver 15.17 | ||||
| Memory | 4GB Corsair XMS3 DHX (2 x 2GB) DDR3-1,333 | |||||
| Memory timings and speed | 9-9-9-24 1T @ DDR3-1333 | |||||
| PSU | Cooler Master Real Power Pro 1,000W | |||||
| Monitor | Dell 30in 3007WFP - 2,560x1,600px | |||||
| Disk drive(s) | Seagate 500GB Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 (3Gb/s mode) | |||||
| Graphics driver | Catalyst 8.7 press | Catalyst 8.7 press | Catalyst 8.7 press | ForceWare 177.79 | ForceWare 177.79 | ForceWare 177.79 |
| Operating system | Windows Vista Business SP1, 64-bit | |||||
Software
| 3D Benchmarks | Company Of Heroes: Opposing Fronts v2.103: DX10 - very high quality Enemy Territory: Quake Wars v1.5, HEXUS custom-recorded benchmark. OpenGL - vhq Race Driver: GRID v1.2, HEXUS custom-recorded benchmark. Ultra quality Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare v1.7, HEXUS custom-recorded benchmark: DX9 - very high quality 3DMark Vantage b1.0.2 - default performance test |
|---|
Notes
A new testing subsystem and gaming suite means that this is a grounds-up comparison taking in the three highest-performing GPUs from each side (GeForce 9800 GX2 and Radeon HD 3870 X2 excepted).
Real-world gaming benchmarks were run at 1,680x1,050, 1,920x1,200 and 2,560x1,600, although the highest resolution wasn't run with Race Driver: GRID due to substantial slowdowns in the game, leading to inconsistent and unrepeatable results via our FRAPS-recording method. We've also added in decent amounts of image quality, too.
£329 is the estimated pricing of the Sapphire Radeon HD 4870 X2 2GB. Please note that it may be a little more when etailers update their online catalogues today, but that's common for day-zero pricing.
On we go.
