PCI Express Interface: $160 to $300
Best PCIe Card For $170:
Good 1920x1200 performance in most games, some with lowered detail
| Codename: | RV770 |
| Process: | 55 nm |
| Universal Shaders: | 800 |
| Texture Units: | 40 |
| ROPs: | 16 |
| Memory Bus: | 256-bit |
| Core Speed MHz: | 625 |
| Memory Speed MHz: | 993 (1986 effective) |
| DirectX / Shader Model | DX 10.1 / SM 4.0 |
The Radeon HD 4850 is the new people’s champion, instantly bringing yesterday’s $300 performance level down to the mainstream $170 price point. The Radeon HD 4850 will usually best the GeForce 9800 GTX, and even the more expensive 9800 GTX+. This card has a lot of potential when used on its own, and becomes a devastating force when paired with a second 4850 in a CrossFire configuration.
Best PCIe Card For $260: three-way Tie
Good 1920x1200 performance
| Codename: | RV770 |
| Process: | 55 nm |
| Universal Shaders: | 800 |
| Texture Units: | 40 |
| ROPs: | 16 |
| Memory Bus: | 256-bit |
| Core Speed MHz: | 750 |
| Memory Speed MHz: | 900 (3600 effective) |
| DirectX / Shader Model | DX 10.1 / SM 4.0 |
The Radeon HD 4870 offers the same architecture as the 4850-series paired with its secret weapon: brand new GDDR5 memory. Because GDDR5 provides about twice as much throughput compared to GDDR3, its 900 MHZ clock speed is comparable to a 3600 MHZ effective memory speed. This edge allows the 4870 to up the ante and offer very compelling performance for the price, and in some titles competes with the more expensive GTX 280.
| Codename: | GT200 |
| Process: | 65 nm |
| Universal Shaders: | 192 |
| Texture Units: | 64 |
| ROPs: | 28 |
| Memory Bus: | 448-bit |
| Core Speed MHz: | 576 |
| Memory Speed MHz: | 999 (1998 effective) |
| DirectX / Shader Model | DX 10 / SM 4.0 |
The GeForce GTX 260 offers compelling performance now that its price has been reduced to the $250 price point, allowing it to trade blows with the Radeon HD 4870 on its own turf. This is one of those situations where a buyer really should examine the game titles they plan to play and do some research into which performs better, although you really can’t go wrong with either card.
| Codename: | G92 |
| Process: | 65 nm |
| Universal Shaders: | 256 |
| Texture Units: | 128 |
| ROPs: | 32 |
| Memory Bus: | 256-bit |
| Core Speed MHz: | 600 |
| Memory Speed MHz: | 1500 (3000 effective) |
| DirectX / Shader Model | DX 10 / SM 4.0 |
The GeForce 9800 GX2 competes at the same price point as the Radeon 4870 and GeForce GTX 260, but with a very different technique: instead of a cutting edge GPU, the GX2 uses two previous-generation GPUs in tandem. The end result is a graphics card that isn’t quite as consistent as the Radeon HD 4870 or GeForce GTX 260, but in the titles that support SLI drivers well, the 9800 GX2 can be a devastating force and beat both of the next-generation cards. Once again, the buyer should look into benchmarks of his or her favorite titles when considering which of these three cards to purchase.
Why are the prices on Tom's UK in dollars? Again...
why are you still here?
If you shop around you can get some good cards from reliable sources. Having said that, the prices are more expensive in the UK, than in the USA. Thanks for the article
That card is currently around $81 from some UK online sources - the retail prices can be astronomic (assuming you can even get these cards, as they often sell out-dated harware at grossly inflated prices).
If you don't know what you are buying in the UK for Christmas..get someone who does or you could end up being seriously ripped-off. CPU prices are more harmonised, but historically graphics cards have always been more expensive here.
"Just pay attention to price, warranty, and the manufacturer’s reputation for honoring the warranty if something goes wrong."
Yeah, I learned the hard way by buying a POS INNO3D Nvidia 8800GTX card for a lot of money that broke after 15 months and that unknown to me when I bought it only had 1 years warranty. The cheapskates wont even repair it for me!
I hope the credit crunch wipes INNO3D out!
They finally included an above $500 section....
AT LEAST DO AN ARCTICLE FOR TOMSHARDWARE UK IN POUNDS, what's the point in having a separate site if you use exactly the same arcticles!!!!
They finally included an above $500 section....AT LEAST DO AN ARCTICLE FOR TOMSHARDWARE UK IN POUNDS, what's the point in having a separate site if you use exactly the same arcticles!!!!
Well at least you got the picks of the best hardware..sourcing it should be easy as long as you know the trusted sources
what would use recommend hd4870 1gig or nu 260 + oc ? or just stick with hd4870 512?