Hardware AMD ATI Radeon HD 4770 512MB

Either that, or there's a special "reviewer's edition". The reason I asked in the first place was because I read about it over at ExPreview.com.

As of right now it seems impossible to get a HD4770 with the "reference" cooler. None of the manufacturers I've checked (and I checked a few more since last) have any HD4770 resembling the one tested at bit-tech and elsewhere. I'm not really liking this, to be honest...

 

XBitLabs claim it doesn't get near 80W at any given time. Seems like ATi put the connector there just to be on the safe side.

 

Fair enough - but I bet the card complains if you don't give it the PCI-E power line.

Seems like ATi want overclockers to be able to break 1GHz with this.

 

Stop looking for a conspiracy

ATI probably just relied on partners to send out their own cards and because competition is so tight quite a few seem to have got a good deal on this cooler.

Just be concerned with "reference" clock speeds - if ATI ships out pre-oc cards then that's a no-no.

 

I'm already bored with 40nm cards, I want 32nm parts now!

 

That's what they all say ...just before they come and get you!

To be honest, I'm quite a bit interested in the cooling and noise properties since I plan to pick up a HD 4770 for a friend's birthday. He has a HTPC, but would like a bit of graphics power for the odd game as well.

 

Its a very good value card
Anyone notice some missing power choke or vrms ( sry not im not electerate)
going to be some ATI HD 4790!?
i think i skip and w8 hoping a 4790 will come along
Turbotab 11 minutes ago
I'm already bored with 40nm cards, I want 32nm parts now!

Estimated Die shrink -40nm - 32nm -16nm -8nm -4nm
-2nm 1 gigazillion transistors on 100mm2 drawing 1watts @@ by 2090

 

I think it might be time to change my 7800GTX 256Mb

 

for just over £160 for a pair it would be intresting to see some crossfire benches, it could be a serious bang for buck set up

 

Okay, I've got an 8800GTS 512 (G92 core). How will this new card scale compared to my 8800? Am I correct in thinking that the 9800GT is basically the same as the 8800GTS?

I'm also waiting for the Crossfire review. X38 mobo don't allow SLi

Andy

 

I know I mentioned this last time, but can you fix your graph generation scripts such that f@hmon -> FahMon please?

 

Ah, cripes. I didn't realize it was in the graph as well

 

Thanks

 

I'm surprised that you only gave it a 7/10 on value, actually; I might have considered an 8/10 or a 9/10 if I was feeling particularly happy that day.

The GTS 250 is expensive enough to really make a difference in my book, and speculating on price cuts that haven't even been rumored yet isn't very sensible. If you're going to take that route, why not just go ahead and give the 4890 the best value of all? Heck, they'll be down to £90 in a few years!

 

I had my old 7950GT (accidentally) running without a PCI-E power connector for quite a long time and it behaved absolutely fine.

 

It depends on the card - Some cards won't allow your system to get past POST without connecting PCI-E power.

Some cards need it, period; some cards need it when under load and other cards use it as a precaution.

 

I see some crossfire with my 4850 in my near future

 

We were going off the original price quoted to us, which was £87 inc. VAT from Overclockers UK - at that price, it's very close to the GTS 250. At £79.99, I think it's an 8 or 9/10 for value as you say... but we don't adjust our scores after publication time. (if we did it to reflect every price change, it'd be a whole lot of extra work - it's one rule for all)

It shows how this part of the market is incredibly sensitive to price - it's a steal at £80.

I heard some fairly solid rumours that Nvidia was going to cut the price from a good source on Monday. That's why I mentioned it.

 

can i have a link to somewhere explaining the benefits of a seal choke?!?!

 

Marginally better ESR (cant remember acronym) protection and far better environmental protection - it doesn't corrode, especially in high humidity or coastal areas.