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Sapphire 4870 1GB, Powercolor PCS or HIS 4870 512mb??

nafets

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You said you're in Europe? You can't get any rebates from Newegg.com, as they're for US residents only...

There aren't any European PC internet stores that sell reasonably priced hardware? Please don't mind me, I am an ignorant American. I know Europe is quite large and includes many countries, not all of which have good access to cheap PC parts...
 
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Based on your original statement of;



For the price you'd pay for a 1GB HD4850, you could get a 512MB HD4870, which would be more than enough for your current (and most likely, future) needs. Don't be fooled by the 512MB/1GB mess. You won't see any benefit of the extra 512MB on the HD4850, as it would be contradicted by the slower GPU and MEMORY speeds.

That being said, if you plan on keeping your next video card for longer than a year, and are really set on having 1GB of memory, then I'd recommend just spending a bit more and going with the HD4870 1GB. There are a number of models priced around $205 - $215 (after rebate), that you'd be very happy with.

As far as the HD4870 ICEQ 4, from what I've read it's nothing more than the stock cooler with fancier plastic and a slightly different blower fan. Don't expect it to be hugely quieter than the reference stock dual-slot cooler. In the case of the HD4850 with the ICEQ 4 cooler, it's actually a good choice, as it is quieter and more effective than the usual single-slot garbage reference cooler, that comes (or used to come) with most HD4850's. Since it exhausts air out of the PC, it's highly recommended, since most HD4850's (now) come with flower coolers that do not do this.

With all of these cards the big difference with regards to cooling and noise output is how the BIOS is set up. With a BIOS that has a properly set up fan speed section, the card can have lower idle fan speeds, and ramp up quietly and in an effective manner, to increase speeds as the GPU temperatures increase. Unfortunately, this is a lost art with many manufacturers, as they just copy the same non-optimized fan settings over on to their newer cards. All is not lost though, as the end user can tweak these settings and/or use third party programs to set the fan speeds to their personal liking....

*the bolded part*

Should I be getting this card then, huh? Seems to be a fair price, I'd say... So the 4850 IceQ4 512mb is "better" than the 4870 IceQ4 512mb? (the latter one doesn't seem to exist on newegg anyway...)

As for the rebate, I am sure it would work since I do have an address where I can ship stuff that won't otherwise be shipped to Europe. It'll then be sent to me from that address through a company. So I am sure that the rebate would work, don't you reckon?
 

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Any 4870 is better than a 4850
 

nafets

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I guess you misinterpreted what I was trying to point out.

The ICEQ 4 cooler for the HD4870 is of little benefit over the once usual, stock reference dual-slot exhausting cooler.

The ICEQ 4 cooler for the HD4850 is of great benefit, since most HD4850s come with substandard or less effective (non-externally exhausting) cooling options.

Either way, the ICEQ 4 cooler can be just as loud as any other cooling design if the BIOS isn't set properly. In my experience, there are too many variables which can make it difficult to find a card that cools effectively and is quiet. There will usually be trade-offs. As I said before, this is something that can be fixed with most cards, by the user, with a little tweaking. So spending more than a nominal amount on a card that's "supposed" to be quiet isn't always a necessity.

As Shadow wisely said, any HD4870 is better than any HD4850 (512MB/1GB), but of course will cost more. Yes, the ICEQ 4 HD4850 is a great card, and it's price is fairly reasonable (compared to other HD4850's).

It really comes down to when your next video card purchase will be. If you plan on upgrading within the next year, you can go with the HIS HD4850 (or even the excellent price/performance HD4830). If you plan on keeping the video card longer than that, go with a 1GB HD4870 for just over $200 (after rebate).

It's just my opinion. Your thoughts (and your wallet) may have different ideas...
 
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Ah, sorry for misreading/understanding this. Been up WAAAY too long just looking after a video card... (it's 1PM, not slept since yesterday)

Well, the thing is that I found this offer on newegg that gives me 189$ for a HIS 4870 1GB. That's with 25$ MIR + 10$ promo code rebate. I am talking about this card. What you reckon about that card..? It's a 4870 1GB, but not IceQ4. Should I perhaps look for another card, or..?

And yeah, I am not planning to upgrade my PC next year, so I guess that a 1GB would be fine then, but I am still having issues to find out which 1GB I should go for, but more importantly; how does this "MIR" actually work? Will there be sent any documents to my address in the states that I must sign or can I do all the paperwork etc. electronically? I am talking about this. Any ideas..?

FINALLY it looks like a small sign of light in the end of this gfx card tunnel...
 

nafets

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Firstly the rebates. You just need to go to the specified web site and enter the offer code. You'll then need to enter your US address info, and a valid e-mail address and phone number, for contact. You then mail them the UPC, receipt, and whatever specific rebate form that is supplied/created. You'll need to print it out.

If the flower cooler HIS HD4870 1GB is more palatable for you, financially, then go for it. Personally I wouldn't touch it, but that's because I've been playing with too many HD4870's for too long. In all likelyhood (and hopefullness) it will work just fine for you. But I'd be wary of it's quietness, as the fan only has a 2-pin connector, and may be a fixed speed unit, which runs at one (loud) speed all the time...
 

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the only thing i could say is go with the 1GB model cards, and few years back i had Trouble with HIS on their RMA system, getting in contact with them just to get the forms etc, Sapphire I had no problems with.
 
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I see. So...I'll have to mail them (through post, not e-mail) the docs... Oh well.. I guess that I can give it a try then.

I see. Yeah, I am like you when it comes to the loudness; I don't want it to be loud. So yeah, got any other cards that are "better" in terms of quietness and performance? As long as it doesn't cost TOO much more than the card I just mentioned, I am up for it. So yeah, come with a couple of suggestions on which 512mb and 1GB cards I could check out, if it's not too much to ask, of course... I guess that the HIS-card I mentioned is excluded since it makes too much noise, so yeah, if you've got other alternatives, bring 'em so I can see.
 

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I see. So... what you're suggesting is that... I should go for the Sapphire 1GB..? Or are you aiming for another card..?
 
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nafets

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My suggestion is this HIS HD4870 1GB.

It's a stock clocked, reference 3-phase VRM design PCB, with the reference dual-slot exhausting cooler.

From what I've read, the BIOS is set with ATI's usual "quiet over temperature" fan settings (as are most HD4870s with this cooler). This means the temperatures during IDLE and LOAD will be higher, but it will usually be quieter than most other card's non-reference cooling designs. The fan speed can be easily/manually increased to lower temperatures, if you so desire, while keeping fan noise at an acceptable level.

It's the same card I have (but mine's Sapphire). Another plus is that all the hot air is exhausted out of your PC, so as to not affect other components. It's a well tested and simple design that just works...

PS. That's it for me. I'm going to bed. Good luck on your future video card purchase. :)

PPS. Alright. One more. If your grip on having to have a 1GB card can be lessened, you can save a bit and go for this HIS HD4870 512MB. It's the same exact card as above, just with 512MB less memory, and quite a bit cheaper.

You'd definetly be happy with either card, now and in the near future...
 
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Thank you SO much for all your contribution, nafets! I greatly appriciate that! The same with all you other people who contributed with useful information! THANKS! :)

But yes, nafets, I'll probably go for the 1GB as my country doesn't even have that card for sale at all. Even without the MIR/rabate from newegg, I'll still pay the same price for the 1GB at newegg that I would pay for a 512mb in my country (yep, the same model AND all taxes + overseas shipping counted!) ... So yeah, I am quite sure that I'll be happy with that 1GB card, indeed. But just to be on the safe side, I'll chew on it until tomorrow and then I'll see which one of those 2 I'll go for. Most likely it'll be the 1GB, especially if I can sort of the MIR/rebate-thingy on newegg. That'd be a blast, for sure. If not, then the 512mb will still be a blast, indeed!

So yeah, thank you again for your assistance, guiding and clearance, nafets! At least now I've got a better insight on the cards than I had before I sat down 8hrs ago. Hehe.

I'll come back once I've cleared things up, just so I can report and see how things went with the selection etc. Heh.

...and yes, I'm done for tonight as well! 4PM and I am STILL up... Gosh. Talk about turning the day upside down...
 
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get the HIS iceQ 4870 as it has the best cooling available for a 4870

its worth the extra money even the 512mb version is fine


either that or sapphire but the sapphire is dear for the toxic version
 

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How is 512mb too little? I'm playing pretty much every game maxed out with AA and AF with a 512mb HD 4830. I would get the HIS HD 4850 IceQ4 if you were gonna get a 4850
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161244
I loved my old HIS HD 3850 IceQ3.. Ran really cool and quiet, I'm sure they have revised the IceQ4 with some new stuff :) And you get STALKER Clear Sky, one of my favorite games!

512MB isn't enough. I moved to a 1GB from a 512 just for that reason. And as more games release, 512MB is going to be further and further behind. Just look at the memory requirements on GTA4 for God's sake. It's ridiculous, and it is only gonna get worse from here on out.

If you plan to keep a video card for more than a couple of months, going with 512 isn't a wise idea.

On the flipside, if you plan to upgrade in the next year or so, 512MB is good enough.

Your decision should be based solely on the length of time you plan to keep the card.

As for the argument that a 4850 isn't powerful enough to use the 1GB, that's false. It depends on the game. In games like PT Boats and GTA4, even my lowly 8800GT 1GB is faster than the 512MB versions, and the 4850 is a fair bit faster than the 8800GT. Even COD4 sees over 512MB of usage at my resolution. At your res, there are only a few games that will use the 1GB RIGHT NOW, but that will change over the next year, I can almost guaranty it. Not to mention, if you plan on upgrading your monitor, you'll be using more framebuffer.
 
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Depends on what games your playing. I play Left 4 Dead, Lord of The Rings Online, CoD4 and STALKER a lot and my 4830 handles them all awesome at 1920x1080 with AA. I see what you mean by future games, I probably am gonna regret having a 512mb right now but I change my hardware so much that by the time good games come out that use 1gb I will have a HD 5800 1gb or something.
 

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Depends on what games your playing. I play Left 4 Dead, Lord of The Rings Online, CoD4 and STALKER a lot and my 4830 handles them all awesome at 1920x1080 with AA. I see what you mean by future games, I probably am gonna regret having a 512mb right now but I change my hardware so much that by the time good games come out that use 1gb I will have a HD 5800 1gb or something.

Right, for you, a 512MB card isn't bad, because you do swap often. For somebody trying to stretch their purchase to like 2 years, a 1GB is a wiser investment.

Oh, @ the OP - as far as the cooler noise, Just buy the cheapest card, and an after market cooler, like the Accelero S1. Throw a 92mm fan on it, and call it a day. Plus you could most likely take it with you to your next card.

Btw, my MSI 4850 had a flower cooler on it. Voltmodded to 4870 voltage, it cooled it fine, but was a little noisy.
 
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I see, I see...

Well, the thing is that I've now discovered that a webshop in my country got a Sapphire 4870 1GB for $175 + $10 for shipping... Now, I know that you people have suggested me to go for HIS 4870 1GB or 512mb, but HIS 4870 1GB gets too expensive for me, and is it worth to get HIS 4870 512mb that'll be more expensive for me than the Sapphire 4870 1GB?

Here are the price listings for the cards that I can choose from (based on your suggestions):
1: HIS 4870 1GB bought in USA == $235 for the card + 25% tax/custom of the card ($58) + $35 for shipping through a company located in USA. Total = $328. This is what it will cost me to get the card from USA -> My place. This is also the cheapest HIS 4870 1GB I've found so far, for me that is. PS: I cannot use mail-in rebate as the card must be sent to the company's address that ships the card to me, so it's not possible for me to get MIR. IF I were to choose this one, it'll take me about 2 weeks to get the card.

2: HIS 4870 512mb bought in USA == $190 for the card + 25% tax/custom of the card ($47) + $35 for shipping through a company located in USA. Total = $272. This is what it will cost me to get the card from USA -> My place. This is also the cheapest HIS 4870 512mb I've found so far, for me that is. PS: I cannot use mail-in rebate as the card must be sent to the company's address that ships the card to me, so it's not possible for me to get MIR. IF I were to choose this one, it'll take me about 2 weeks to get the card.

3: HIS 4870 1GB bought in my country == $364 for the card + $10 for shipping = Total $374. It'll take 2-3 days before I'll recieve the card. No other expenses.

4: HIS 4870 512mb bought in my country == $313 for the card + $10 for shipping = Total $323. It'll take 2-3 days before I'll recieve the card. No other expenses.

5: Sapphire 4870 1GB bought in my country == $280 for the card + $10 for shipping. Total = $290. It'll take 2-3 days before I'll recieve the card. No other expenses.

Sapphire 4870 1GB bought in USA gets more expensive than the one in nr.5...

SO, which one should I go for..? The Sapphire 4870 1GB is about $8 more expensive than the cheapest HIS 4870 512mb, and about $40 cheaper than the cheapest HIS 4870 1GB... and the waiting time for the card is either 2-3 days or about 2 weeks... (the waiting time isn't an important factor, tbh..)

So yeah, can someone help me to draw a conclusion to this, hmm?

Oh... I've heard "rumours" that 4890 will be released this spring, huh? So, if I'll upgrade to a better card NEXT year, shouldn't I go for a 512mb instead? I am NOT planning to play all the games with EVERY gfx-thingy turned on, but just so it's about as respectable as possible.

Any suggestions..?
 
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Well I don't see why it only can be a 4870, your using a 19" why not get a 4670 or 4850 if you want to save alot of money?
 

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Well I don't see why it only can be a 4870, your using a 19" why not get a 4670 or 4850 if you want to save alot of money?

Hell a 9600GT, 4830, 8800GS, HD3870 while we are at it . . . :p
 
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Agreed jr any low/mid range card will serve you good.
 

Wile E

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I see, I see...

Well, the thing is that I've now discovered that a webshop in my country got a Sapphire 4870 1GB for $175 + $10 for shipping... Now, I know that you people have suggested me to go for HIS 4870 1GB or 512mb, but HIS 4870 1GB gets too expensive for me, and is it worth to get HIS 4870 512mb that'll be more expensive for me than the Sapphire 4870 1GB?

Here are the price listings for the cards that I can choose from (based on your suggestions):
1: HIS 4870 1GB bought in USA == $235 for the card + 25% tax/custom of the card ($58) + $35 for shipping through a company located in USA. Total = $328. This is what it will cost me to get the card from USA -> My place. This is also the cheapest HIS 4870 1GB I've found so far, for me that is. PS: I cannot use mail-in rebate as the card must be sent to the company's address that ships the card to me, so it's not possible for me to get MIR. IF I were to choose this one, it'll take me about 2 weeks to get the card.

2: HIS 4870 512mb bought in USA == $190 for the card + 25% tax/custom of the card ($47) + $35 for shipping through a company located in USA. Total = $272. This is what it will cost me to get the card from USA -> My place. This is also the cheapest HIS 4870 512mb I've found so far, for me that is. PS: I cannot use mail-in rebate as the card must be sent to the company's address that ships the card to me, so it's not possible for me to get MIR. IF I were to choose this one, it'll take me about 2 weeks to get the card.

3: HIS 4870 1GB bought in my country == $364 for the card + $10 for shipping = Total $374. It'll take 2-3 days before I'll recieve the card. No other expenses.

4: HIS 4870 512mb bought in my country == $313 for the card + $10 for shipping = Total $323. It'll take 2-3 days before I'll recieve the card. No other expenses.

5: Sapphire 4870 1GB bought in my country == $280 for the card + $10 for shipping. Total = $290. It'll take 2-3 days before I'll recieve the card. No other expenses.

Sapphire 4870 1GB bought in USA gets more expensive than the one in nr.5...

SO, which one should I go for..? The Sapphire 4870 1GB is about $8 more expensive than the cheapest HIS 4870 512mb, and about $40 cheaper than the cheapest HIS 4870 1GB... and the waiting time for the card is either 2-3 days or about 2 weeks... (the waiting time isn't an important factor, tbh..)

So yeah, can someone help me to draw a conclusion to this, hmm?

Oh... I've heard "rumours" that 4890 will be released this spring, huh? So, if I'll upgrade to a better card NEXT year, shouldn't I go for a 512mb instead? I am NOT planning to play all the games with EVERY gfx-thingy turned on, but just so it's about as respectable as possible.

Any suggestions..?
If you are upgrading in the next year or so, a 512MB card should be fine.
 
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Fine then. What 4850 1GB is recommended then..? I figure that if I go for a 1GB, it'll work fine until I decide to upgrade my video card... or should I go for a 4850 512mb instead..?

And yuh, I will be upgrading to a newer card next years. Would I "survive" with a 4850 512mb then..?
 
Last edited:

Wile E

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Fine then. What 4850 1GB is recommended then..? I figure that if I go for a 1GB, it'll work fine until I decide to upgrade my video card... or should I go for a 4850 512mb instead..?

And yuh, I will be upgrading to a newer card next years. Would I "survive" with a 4850 512mb then..?

Yeah, you should be fine on a 19" with a 4850 512MB until next year.
 
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Alrite, then it's settled. A HIS 4850 512mb it is. But which of the 512mb cards should I pick?
1: This card?
2: This card?
3: or this card?

I guess that it's either alternative 1 or 2, yes?

I can get either of those cards for a very good price here. Which one would you suggest?
 

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