| Sunday, May 25 2008 |

Various photos of the coolers that will prevent ATI's next gen Radeon HD 4800 series cards from overheating have recently emerged over the Internet. Below are the picture of ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2, Radeon HD 4870 and Radeon HD 4850 respectively.
Source: Chiphell, TechConnect Magazine
Source: Chiphell, TechConnect Magazine
User comments
no cooling for the plx chip on the x2? why is that the 3850 has memory cooling that appears better then that of the 3870?
OOOOO!!! a black x2! i love it already.
The Max board is thinking about this card! lol... I don't know yet... But, it does look pretty nice!
Tasty :P
looks like they've done some serious improvements to the x2 cooler compared to what we saw with the 3870x2 . . . that heat pipe alone should help even out GPU temps
I really liked the transparent red on the 3xxx series, but these look nice too. That single slot looks especially nice. I was hoping they'd bring back a variation of the 2900 flame job.
by: acperience7;808503we'll have to wait until ATI's ego builds back up some before we start seeing flame designs again :laugh:
I really liked the transparent red on the 3xxx series, but these look nice too. That single slot looks especially nice. I was hoping they'd bring back a variation of the 2900 flame job.
Nice I like the heatpipes connecting the two copper heatsinks on the X2 cooler. It will surely perform better then the copper and aluminum setup of the 3870X2
They do look nice, but like the pair's of x1950's and HD3870's the heatsinks came off and went on water before I ever used them.
hmm... i like the black/red tones to the x2 cooler, but then again, none of that will matter coz mine will be getting liquid cooled ^^
woo, cant wait for some actual performance benchies :)
woo, cant wait for some actual performance benchies :)
very nice!
the back x2 cooler is sexy!
the back x2 cooler is sexy!
Cases really need to start coming with support brackets for video cards. They are starting to get quite a bit heavy these days.
not a bad idea ^
by: panchoman;808456
no cooling for the plx chip on the x2? why is that the 3850 has memory cooling that appears better then that of the 3870?
They use TIM padding, the same ones they use over the memory banks over the PLX lane arbiter, just that it's sized to cover the chip.
Nice, but I could care less of looks, my favorite cooler design of all times would be the one for the 8800 Ultra :) Matte, black, 100% function without trying to look flamboyant, no stickers, etc.
As long as it cools well and makes as little noise as possible I don't care about looks.
The black one looks great, hope it's performs as good as it looks.:)
As long as it cools well and makes as little noise as possible I don't care about looks.
The black one looks great, hope it's performs as good as it looks.:)
by: panchoman;808456
no cooling for the plx chip on the x2? why is that the 3850 has memory cooling that appears better then that of the 3870?
Well looks like it does have cooling on it if you look real carefully just not like the GPU's have
The 4870x2 will be a mammoth. The all copper setup will definitely add some ounces too the heaviest card ever. I stuck a delta fan on my 3870x2 but I had to take the giant red metal block off since it wouldn't even stay in the pci slot with the added mass. I can only imagine how much this beasty will weigh.
I hope can beat or as the same performance with the new nvidia GTX280, as the most part of us have a chipset intel we will be able all to make a CROSS FIRE X, Halleluja !! Whoohooo !
But I believe that the GTX280 will be the best, as always ... =( ... =)
But I believe that the GTX280 will be the best, as always ... =( ... =)
by: Megasty;808659That's just going to be sick in weight.
The 4870x2 will be a mammoth. The all copper setup will definitely add some ounces too the heaviest card ever. I stuck a delta fan on my 3870x2 but I had to take the giant red metal block off since it wouldn't even stay in the pci slot with the added mass. I can only imagine how much this beasty will weigh.
black and red, my favorite colours:)
The copper is amazing. I absolutely love it.
The cooler of the X2 looks really good lets see if the beauty is the same as performance hope sou...
Why oh why did they have to revert back to the shitty blower fan on the 4870?
the 3870 cooler did such a good job, even if it was bloody loud.
the 3870 cooler did such a good job, even if it was bloody loud.
nice color scheme, Graphics on a card are not needed because you can only see the side of the card.
Impressive, but I was hoping for a more compact full card coverage cooler. Maybe some new advances in GPU cooling could be used. Perhaps like Sapphires Toxic Vapochamber or Carbon nanotubes?
by: eidairaman1;808823But what about people like me who intend to get a case where the motherboard will lie flat? :p
nice color scheme, Graphics on a card are not needed because you can only see the side of the card.
i guess your going to put it into a Desktop Case then?
by: eidairaman1;808856Mountain Mods :P
i guess your going to put it into a Desktop Case then?
by: eidairaman1;808823What if you have a reverse ATX Lian Li case then you can see the upside of the card :laugh:
nice color scheme, Graphics on a card are not needed because you can only see the side of the card.
by: DrPepper;808873
What if you have a reverse ATX Lian Li case then you can see the upside of the card :laugh:
yall find everything to complain about a cards looks, why not tell them about it instead of complaining here, also why not get decals or paint the shroud to customize the look or fabricate your own shroud for different color schemes, just remember its not a piss yellow a shit brown or a puke green.
I don't complain :laugh: I rip the stickers off the cooler on the 8800 GTS because it made it cooler (not literally) or slap custom cooling on.
When is this new series due to be released for sale?
by: panchoman;808456It only appears that way because your eyes can distinguish where the memory will contact, but with closer inspection you can see that the 4870 will have memory in a right angle orientation; and then notice the right angled protruding aluminum around the copper center of the 4870? The 4870 cooler will have more efficient heat transfer than the "foam" thermal pads of the 4850.
no cooling for the plx chip on the x2? why is that the 3850 has memory cooling that appears better then that of the 3870?
bryan d
better cooling pads are the akasa shinetsu.
by: SK-1;809355Some think its going to be around June, but I'd say availability will be early July if things turn out good
When is this new series due to be released for sale?
by: eidairaman1;809397Not trying to start anything, but for the sake of providing information for those less informed, would you rather have:
better cooling pads are the akasa shinetsu.

Or:

Notice this is zoomed-in to illustrate the actual surface of lapped surfaces at a minute level.
bryan d
not to start a war or anything but the Akasa Shinetsu TIMs conduct better heat than the stock pads, i used them on a NB and GPU cooler for a Dell Inspiron XPS/9100 with a MR9800 256, there was a big gap between both coolers that couldnt be modified without maching down the heatsinks, i used AS5 and that was a mistake, bigger amts dont conduct heat, i took multiple pads of the SHinetsu layered them and it actually provided better cooling for overclocking than the stock pads, i also used Tweakmonster Ramsinks on the Video card with AS Epoxy/AS5 Compound. I used AS5 on the CPU. the Machine did run much cooler after that but for Overclocking the MR9800 256, 350/297--> 459/417.
by: eidairaman1;810345You are absolutely correct that the stock pads of most CPU/GPU application are not very efficient, but the reason why I chimed in the thread was to point out that a metal to IC contact with thermal paste will outperform a metal->pad->IC contact. Would really rely on a thermal pad with NO metal to IC contact, versus contact between metal and IC with thermal paste to fill in the voids that do not touch (mind you the thermal paste will be thinner than a strand of hair)?
Akasa Shinetsu TIMs conduct better heat than the stock pads, i used them on a NB and GPU cooler for a Dell Inspiron XPS/9100 with a MR9800 256, there was a big gap between both coolers that couldnt be modified without maching down the heatsinks,
Maybe the thermal pad worked better in your situation, but it was only due to a poor design that did not allow for an IC to metal contact. The use of "high end" thermal pads are only necessitated due to poor design... which the HD4850 carries as evident to having to resort to thermal pads for the RAM.
If you still doubt what I am saying, why call up Thermalright, Swictech, Scythe, Arctic Cooling, etc, etc, and ask them which is preferable between thermal paste or a pad?
I just do not want individuals new to computers coming to this great forum, and be misinformed. :)
bryan d
Just a thought could you not use copper aluminum plates a little thinner than pads in place and use TIM either side of plates?.. Never tried it and was just a thought.
whats teh 4870 and 4850 msrp again?
by: [I.R.A]_FBi;8107414870 - $329
whats teh 4870 and 4850 msrp again?
4850 - $229
Both FTW :rockout:
Only reason pads are used is because of the No Mess Factor, if you look at some 1950 Pro cards there are chips that still have metal contacts on them. Its easier to use a Pad than some compound where you gotta makesure you use the exact amt, there is greater chance of compound being wasted, also if the gap isnt as great as some coolers, you could probably take the stock cooler off and use the compound between parts.
by: bryan_d;810723
You are absolutely correct that the stock pads of most CPU/GPU application are not very efficient, but the reason why I chimed in the thread was to point out that a metal to IC contact with thermal paste will outperform a metal->pad->IC contact. Would really rely on a thermal pad with NO metal to IC contact, versus contact between metal and IC with thermal paste to fill in the voids that do not touch (mind you the thermal paste will be thinner than a strand of hair)?
Maybe the thermal pad worked better in your situation, but it was only due to a poor design that did not allow for an IC to metal contact. The use of "high end" thermal pads are only necessitated due to poor design... which the HD4850 carries as evident to having to resort to thermal pads for the RAM.
If you still doubt what I am saying, why call up Thermalright, Swictech, Scythe, Arctic Cooling, etc, etc, and ask them which is preferable between thermal paste or a pad?
I just do not want individuals new to computers coming to this great forum, and be misinformed. :)
bryan d



