Source: Tom's Hardware US – Keywords: radeon, geforce, gtx
Categories: Hardware
Best PCIe Card: $200 To $390
Best PCIe Card For ~$260: Radeon HD 4850 X2 2GB
Good 1920x1200 performance, 2560x1600 in most titles with some lowered detail
| Radeon HD 4850 X2 2 GB | |
|---|---|
| Codename: | 2 x RV770 |
| Process: | 55 nm |
| Universal Shaders: | 1,600 (2 x 800) |
| Texture Units: | 80 (2 x 40) |
| ROPs: | 32 (2 x 16) |
| Memory Bus: | 256-bit |
| Core Speed MHz: | 625 |
| Memory Speed MHz: | 993 (1,986 effective) |
| DirectX/Shader Model: | DX 10.1/SM 4.1 |
The Radeon HD 4850 X2 is essentially two Radeon HD 4850s in CrossFire mode on a single card, and it will beat the similarly priced GeForce GTX 260 Core 216 and more expensive GeForce GTX 280 hands-down. It will even put the hurt on the new, more expensive GeForce GTX 285.
We're still quite pleased that the Radeon HD 4850 X2 can now be found on Newegg for $260. At this price, it's the same price as two Radeon HD 4850 cards, but is more accessible in that it will work with any PCIe motherboard (rather than just those supporting CrossFire connectivity). In either case, that's a lot of performance for the admission price.
Past the point of reason:
With exponentially increasing prices over $260 offering smaller and smaller performance boosts, we have a hard time recommending anything more expensive than the Radeon HD 4850 X2. While more expensive solutions perform impressively in multiple-card configurations at ultra-high resolutions, there’s just not enough of a gain compared to the Radeon HD 4850 X2, unless you play at resolutions beyond 1920x1200.
Then again, while we often recommend against purchasing any graphics card that retails for more than $300 from a value point of view, there are those of you for whom money might not be much of an object, who can afford a 30” LCD monitor, and who require the best possible performance money can buy. For those of you, we recommend the following cards:
Best PCIe Card For ~$360: Tie
Exceptional 1920x1200 performance in most games, 2560x1600 in most titles (some with lowered detail)
| Two GeForce GTX 260 (Core 216) cards in SLI Configuration | |
|---|---|
| Codename: | 2 x GT200 |
| Process: | 55 / 65 nm |
| Universal Shaders: | 432 (2 x 216) |
| Texture Units: | 144 (2 x 72) |
| ROPs: | 56 (2 x 28) |
| Memory Bus: | 448-bit |
| Core Speed MHz: | 576 |
| Memory Speed MHz: | 999 (1,998 effective) |
| DirectX/Shader Model: | DX 10/SM 4.0 |
As we noted with the single-card recommendations, two GeForce GTX 260 cards in SLI offer advantages in titles that run better with the GeForce GT200 architecture. If you have an SLI motherboard, the decision becomes a no-brainer as two GeForce GTX 260 cards are a serious force to reckon with. As with the single cards, we recommend the newer Core 216 versions due to the similar price and enhanced performance.
| Two Radeon HD 4870 1 GB in CrossFire Configuration | |
|---|---|
| Codename: | 2 x RV770 |
| Process: | 55 nm |
| Universal Shaders: | 1,600 (2 x 800) |
| Texture Units: | 80 (2 x 40) |
| ROPs: | 32 (2 x 16) |
| Memory Bus: | 256-bit |
| Core Speed MHz: | 750 |
| Memory Speed MHz: | 900 (3,600 effective) |
| DirectX/Shader Model: | DX 10.1/SM 4.1 |
Two Radeon HD 4870 cards are a powerful combination, especially when equipped with gobs of memory. With the price of a Radeon HD 4870 X2 running over $400, we're recommending two Radeon HD 4870 cards in CrossFire to save the cash. Of course, if you don't have a CrossFire or SLI motherboard, the single-card solution Radeon HD 4870 X2 looks a lot more attractive.
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I'm getting a little tired with the ongoing shift in focus of these articles - it's the best card for your money. That to me says "here are some price brackets, here are the best cards for each" not "you'd be stupid to spend this much money when you can go SLI for cheaper".
As a result, it's of no interest to me within the scope of this article that 2x 260GTXs in SLI are better value than a single 4870 X2 (especially as earlier on Mr. Woligroski couldn't justify a single 260GTX). Maybe I don't have SLI or Crossfire, maybe I'm interesting in buying half or third of a monster GPU rig now and doubling-up when the cards are cheaper. Maybe I'm even a moron with too much cash.
Similarly, perhaps all I have is $160 and simply cannot stretch any more, so it's no good not putting a card in the $160 bracket just because a product at $25 more is "better value".
Any way you cut it, I want to know what single card is the best in a certain price bracket. These articles doesn't really do this any more.
Perhaps if the focus of the article was "best value for your money" it would be a different matter - what graphics performance can you get for x amount of money? Yes, then I'd be very interested that a pair of 260GTXs at $360 or 2 4870s at $400 is better value than a single 4870X2.
I'm sure there's room for both here: for each price bracket list best single card and best value option - at the lower price points they'll be one and the same.
it would be good if we saw some reviews of like 2x 150$ cards in xfire/sli vs a 200-300$ card lets actually see something about value for money
and why say get a $520 card when a considerably cheaper card can almost do the same for less.
also surprised you didn't say three 4830's in cf for $285, it would be more powerful than a GTX 285 for less.
What a lot of codswallop "Best for the Price crap" with competition in price variations this is no gauge to suggest that the Card(s) is any good and that it is in fact the best of its class, I’m sure you can do better in varying the Marketing and Sales propaganda and give us some facts and not “Bull Dust”