News Sapphire launches 2GB Radeon HD 4870 Vapor-X

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/hardware/2009/03/20/sapphire-launches-2gb-radeon-hd-4870-vapor/1

Not content with already improving the 4870, Sapphire has crammed 2GB of GDDR5 and a new cooler in just ahead of other ATI launches.

 

"don't use with 32bit OS" teheee

 

One DVI port, seriously?

 

I wonder if this means that the next-gen 40nm performance cards, are going to run up to 2GB on a single gpu card, as standard?

 

Well, company partners are allowed to do what they want so it's a possibility. I doubt we'll see a reference next gen card (from ATi) with 2GB as standard, however I could be wrong.

 

the HDMI port can also be used for DVI. they're electrically identical, and an adapter is supplied in the box.

 

Why do they do that? 1x DVI, 1x VGA, 1x HDMI... why not just 2 x DVI, 1x HDMI and a VGA adaptor.

 

What they should have done is DVI, HDMI and then DisplayPort.

 

Card looks great.

 

can't wait to see performace, overclockability and temps/noise

 

Looks nice, I think 2GB per GPU is getting silly (I'll regret that in 2 years time )

I'd rather have the 1GB Toxic (with the nicer looking cooler), though these do look pretty nice.

 

http://www.driverheaven.net/reviews.php?reviewid=737 - Reviewed. Slight improvement at 2560 x 1600, unlikely to be any better at 1920 x 1200. Would make a sweet crossfire system, just need a 30 inch to go with it! Never mind, lottery tomorrow:>

 

Is it more silent than the old version?

 

^

this should be named GTA4 edition. or crazy-crossfire edition. for single cards, you'll never use up that amount of memory. at least anything below 30inch.

 

Of course that 1 VGA port is good for people w/ 1 VGA monitor. Like me for instance(I don't like having an adapter on my GTX260, looking for a 1'+ DVI-VGA cable). I have a fantastic NEC Multisync FE950, Trinitron tube (1 of the best 19" monitors for gaming, period). My secondary monitor is a 17" Sony LCD .

True, this card and a few others aren't powerful enough to do high resolutions that might need 2GB Vram.

 

Nice looking cards with just the connections I am after for my next purchase so Saphire are over the first hurdle with this punter in that they have caught my eye. So long as the price is right and the noise is kept under v.tight control they will have a sale.

2gb is a lot of mem that the gpu prob won't be able to exploit in the pure gaming arena but the big push is for more than the gpu to push scantily clad vixens around fantasy vistas. Using the gpu for other tasks is where the mem is going to be exploited IMHO.

 

watch the extra memory turn a 4870 into a gtx 285 killer.

 

Memory over 1GB has no real correlation to graphics performance below 2560x1600 + AA and AF, in fact most 2GB cards lose some frames on lower resolutions.

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102826&nm_mc=OTC-RSS
I am really thinking about getting this card. I think there is an improved benefit to having this card run at 1920x1200 over the 1GB cards.
It really is about price to me which $260 is floating on the ends of the price range. I can get a 1GB sapphire reference for just under $190, and the vapor-x 1GB design is $220, so there is a premium that I would be paying for.
I do like amd though when it comes to drivers for which games they work good at.
Also the cooler is much quieter and runs cooler as it did with the toxic ed.
I am very interested in what bit-tech has to say about sapphire.
Is there a review coming down the pipe for the 2GB card?

 

Have a look at my previous post, for a link to a review of the 2GB card, only a slight benefit at 2560x1600. So unless you want to crossfire and have 30 inch screen, it's probaly better to buy the 4890 or GTX 275, which are due in April.