Final thoughts and rating
There was never any doubt that AMD was going to milk its DX11 graphics-card architecture, first released with the performance HD 5870 part, for all it was worth before NVIDIA came steaming in with its own next-generation models.
As of today, AMD has six distinct GPUs based on the Radeon 5-series design, ranging from the Radeon HD 5670 to the Radeon HD 5970. The GPUs now encompass a wide pricing bracket that begins at £70 and tops out at £550.The Radeon HD 5670 will be available in two flavours from most partners. Cards equipped with a 512MB framebuffer will likely ship for around £70 today, whilst those with a 1,024MB buffer and a wider selection of display ports will cost in the region of £90.
AMD needs to get the HD 5670 right, because research indicates that two-thirds of all discrete GPUs sold cost under $100. From an architecture point of view, then, AMD has got it right - indeed it's hard to get it wrong when the base design is damn good.
The main problem with Radeon HD 5670, especially the parts equipped with a 1,024MB framebuffer, is that the high etail price of £90 takes away much of the shine for an otherwise-good GPU. The better-performing Radeon HD 5750 costs just a little more, and NVIDIA's much-revamped GeForce GTS 250 is also a fundamentally better gaming performer.
Sapphire would do well to drop the price of this particular card to, say, £70, which may well occur by market forces in the coming weeks. Should it do so, we would have little reservation in recommending it to a wide range of purchasers. As it is, the current pricing, £90, makes it stuck between a rock and a hard space.
Good
Radeon 5-series feature-set: DX11, Eyefinity, et al.
Low power-draw
Good temperatures
Quiet cooler
Not so good
High etail price for HD 5670 1,024MB...for now
HEXUS Rating
We consider any product score above '50/100' as a safe buy. The higher the score, the higher the recommendation from HEXUS to buy. Simple, straightforward buying advice.
The rating is given in relation to the category the component competes in, therefore Sapphire's Radeon HD 5670 1,024MB is evaluated with respect to our 'mid-range' criteria.
Sapphire Radeon HD 5670 1,024MB
HEXUS Where2Buy
The Sapphire Radeon HD 5670 1,024MB graphics card can be ordered now from the following retailers:
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| £93.24 (pre-order) | |
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HEXUS Right2Reply
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