Another Look at the $180 Price Point: 260 core 216 vs. 4870 1GB

With the change in performance with the 185 drivers from NVIDIA, we wanted to breakout one of the other most important price points. With lower resolution performance sometimes showing degraded performance and higher resolutions popping up with improvements, this price point is worth exploring.

Overall, it looks like the 4870 1GB is just a little bit faster in one or two games, but these cards are still pretty well matched after the new driver. the scaling differences really wouldn't change our minds either way. Both of these cards are good options.

What will an Extra $70 Get You? Radeon HD 4890 vs. Radeon HD 4870 1GB Putting this PhysX Business to Rest
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  • SiliconDoc - Monday, April 6, 2009 - link

    Yes, exactly why added value of CUDA, PhysX, badaboom, vReveal, the game profiles ready in nv panel, the forced SLI, the ambient occlusion games and their MODS ( se back a page or two in comments) - all MATTER to a lot gamers.
    Let's not forget card size for htpc'ers - heat, dissipation, H.264 etc.
    Just the frames matter here just for ati - formerly at 2560x when ati had that crown, now of course, just for lower resolutions - the most important suddenly to the same reviewers, when ati is stuck down there.
    Yeah, PATHETIC describes the dismissal of added values.
  • Flunk - Thursday, April 2, 2009 - link

    I have a CUDA-supporting GPU (8800GTS) and I have rarely used it. Other than to run the CUDA version of folding at home (there is also an Ati Stream version) or to look at the preitty effects in a few games. I don't really think these effects are particularly worthwhile and unless the industry comes together and supports a standard like OpenCL I don't see GPU-based processing becoming important to most uses.
  • SiliconDoc - Monday, April 6, 2009 - link

    Here's a clue as to why you're already WRONG.
    Most "gpu users" use NVidia. DUH.
    So while you're whistling in the dark, it's already past that time when your line of crap has any basis in reality.
    It takes a gigantic red fanboy brain fart to state otherwise.
    Oh well, since when did facts matter when the red plague is rampant?
  • Hrel - Thursday, April 2, 2009 - link

    You can get an Nvidia GPU that runs CUDA and Badaboom for $50; the 9600GT. End of page 13.
  • Hrel - Thursday, April 2, 2009 - link

    You can get an Nvidia GPU that runs CUDA and Badaboom for $50; the 9600GT.
  • punjabiplaya - Thursday, April 2, 2009 - link

    Just need to some stable OC vs OC results!
  • SiliconDoc - Monday, April 6, 2009 - link

    anand doesn't do the overclocked part comparison of the videocard wars - BUT DON 'T worry - a red rooster exception with charts and babbling is no doubt coming down the pike.
    Keep begging, then they can "respond to customer demands". lol
    Oh man, this is going to be fun.
    I suggest they start with the gainward gtx260 overclock goes like hell, that whips every single 4870 1g XXX ever made. Sound good ?
  • Griswold - Thursday, April 2, 2009 - link

    What I'm really curious about because neither of the cards is what I'm interested in buying, but I like to follow both companies business strategies:

    Does nvidia really lose money or is looking at a fat zero on the bottom line with this card?
  • SiliconDoc - Monday, April 6, 2009 - link

    Uhh ati is losing a billion a year.
    If you want card specifics, that's probably difficult to calculate - and loss leaders are nothing new in business - in fact that's what successful businesses use as a sales tool. Seems ATI has taken it a bit too far and made every card they sell a loss leader, hence their billions in the hole.
    Now as far as the NVidia card in question, even if Obama takes over the mean greedy green machine - he and his cabal "won't release the information because it's just not fair and may cause those not really needing help at the money window to be expsoed".
    So no, you won't be finding out.
    The problem is anyway, if a certain card is a loss leader, they calculate how much other business it brings in, and that makes it a WINNER - and that's the idea.
  • flashbacck - Thursday, April 2, 2009 - link

    The physx/cuda section was interesting, although it sounded a bit... whiny.

    I would LOVE it if someone would write an article about all the PR and marketing shenanigans that go on with reviewers behind the scenes. It'll never happen because it would kill any relationship the author has with the companies, but I bet it would be an eye opening read.

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