- Joined
- Apr 12, 2010
- Messages
- 1,359 (0.26/day)
Processor | Core i7 920 |
---|---|
Motherboard | Asus P6T v2 |
Cooling | Noctua D-14 |
Memory | OCZ Gold 1600 |
Video Card(s) | Powercolor PCS+ 5870 |
Storage | Samsung SpinPoint F3 1 TB |
Display(s) | Samsung LE-B530 37" TV |
Case | Lian Li PC-B25F |
Audio Device(s) | N/A |
Power Supply | Thermaltake Toughpower 700w |
Software | Windows 7 64-bit |
Hi folks,
I am due to come into some spending money and it is perhaps about time that I updated my graphics card (Club3d 4850 with the Zerotherm cooler); however, I´m at a bit of a loss and I would like some input with reference to my specific marketplace and set-up: I game on a 37¨ 1920x1080 Samsung LCD TV; i7 920 (I’ll be overclocking to 3.2).
I´m in Spain and my current options have been shortlisted to the following:
a) Club3d 5850 overclocked edition:
http://www.techpowerup.com/114798/Club_3D_Unveils_Radeon_HD_5850_Overclocked_Edition.html
To all intents and purposes, this seems to be the same card as the Powercolor 5850 PCS+ with a different cooler cowl. It uses a rev 2 PCB and voltage tweaks are disabled; however it is clocked slightly higher at 760 MHz. What attracts me most to this card is the cooling solution. The inability to modify voltage does not really concern me, as many people have reported sending these cards (the Powercolor version) up to 5870 speeds on stock voltage and even if I did decide to overclock, I would probably leave the voltage alone.
€280, shipping included.
b) The Powercolor 5850 PCS+:
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Powercolor/HD_5850_PCS_Plus
Same as above.
Around €300, shipping included.
c) Sapphire Vapor-X 5850:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102886
Again, no voltage control, but comes clocked at 735 MHz with the Vapor-X cooler.
€280, shipping included.
d) Asus DirectCU/DirectCU TOP:
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ASUS/EAH_5850_TOP_DirectCu
Both employ a rev 2 board that does enable voltage control. The only difference between the cards is that the TOP model comes with a small factory overclock at 765 MHz.
The TOP is advertised for the same price as the Powercolor PCS+ in one online shop, but they have no units in stock and it is therefore more expensive where it is available:
Around €300 and €330, respectively.
e) Sapphire 5870 rev 2:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...ogle-_-Video+Cards-_-Sapphire+Tech-_-14102883
I can find very little information on this card. It appears to use the same cooler as the entry level 5830 and 5850 models (as seen on the Modern Warfare 2 editions: http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/sapphire_hd5830/17.htm) and I wonder if it would be up to dealing with the task of cooling the 5870, whilst keeping noise in check. Customer reports seem fairly positive and at only €40 more than the rev 2 5850´s, it is by far the cheapest 5870 I can find. I detest it`s appearance, but I won’t see it once it`s in the case. Is this card the current people’s champion or an option best avoided?
€340 shipped.
f) Powercolor 5870 PCS+:
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Powercolor/HD_5870_PCS_Plus
This is my first choice at the minute for a number of reasons, mainly a near perfect balance between noise and performance. Again, I understand that this is a rev 2 board that does not allow voltage modification, but without getting into a performance debate, it seems like it already has more than enough juice and people have reported sending them up into the 900‘s on stock volts, so the option to overclock, if and when I need it, may be there despite the limitations entailed by the inability to modify voltage. Indeed, the new PCS++ version comes factory clocked at 950 MHz and probably uses exactly the same set-up; however its price, at €470 shipped, has ruled it out. The question is, is the PCS+ worth an additional €90 over and above the 5850 version when what I’m getting is basically a 5850 at higher speeds, with more shaders and a manufacturer’s guarantee? All other 5870‘s with the rev 2 PCB clocked at 875 MHz seem to cost more or less the same:
€390 shipped.
Most of the feedback I’m getting suggests getting a 5850 and overclocking it to 5870 levels. I think this is sound advice, but there are a number of things to consider:
a) It has become difficult to find rev 1 PCB’s.
b) I probably wouldn’t put up with the noise of the stock cooling on a 5850, let alone a 5850 overlclocked, and aftermarket cooling is going to add to the cost.
c) I have no experience overclocking graphics cards and really don’t want to use a €300+ card as a guinea pig.
So, I can either settle on one of the 5850's at €280 - €300, add €40-€60 to get the Sapphire 5870, or add €90-€110 and get the Powercolor 5870. Alternatively, I can wait to see what Southern Islands will bring to this equation, but we have no firm date, no pricing estimates and no guarantee that games will begin to fully take advantage of DirectX 11 in the immediate future.
That’s the conundrum, what would you do?
I am due to come into some spending money and it is perhaps about time that I updated my graphics card (Club3d 4850 with the Zerotherm cooler); however, I´m at a bit of a loss and I would like some input with reference to my specific marketplace and set-up: I game on a 37¨ 1920x1080 Samsung LCD TV; i7 920 (I’ll be overclocking to 3.2).
I´m in Spain and my current options have been shortlisted to the following:
a) Club3d 5850 overclocked edition:
http://www.techpowerup.com/114798/Club_3D_Unveils_Radeon_HD_5850_Overclocked_Edition.html
To all intents and purposes, this seems to be the same card as the Powercolor 5850 PCS+ with a different cooler cowl. It uses a rev 2 PCB and voltage tweaks are disabled; however it is clocked slightly higher at 760 MHz. What attracts me most to this card is the cooling solution. The inability to modify voltage does not really concern me, as many people have reported sending these cards (the Powercolor version) up to 5870 speeds on stock voltage and even if I did decide to overclock, I would probably leave the voltage alone.
€280, shipping included.
b) The Powercolor 5850 PCS+:
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Powercolor/HD_5850_PCS_Plus
Same as above.
Around €300, shipping included.
c) Sapphire Vapor-X 5850:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102886
Again, no voltage control, but comes clocked at 735 MHz with the Vapor-X cooler.
€280, shipping included.
d) Asus DirectCU/DirectCU TOP:
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ASUS/EAH_5850_TOP_DirectCu
Both employ a rev 2 board that does enable voltage control. The only difference between the cards is that the TOP model comes with a small factory overclock at 765 MHz.
The TOP is advertised for the same price as the Powercolor PCS+ in one online shop, but they have no units in stock and it is therefore more expensive where it is available:
Around €300 and €330, respectively.
e) Sapphire 5870 rev 2:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...ogle-_-Video+Cards-_-Sapphire+Tech-_-14102883
I can find very little information on this card. It appears to use the same cooler as the entry level 5830 and 5850 models (as seen on the Modern Warfare 2 editions: http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/sapphire_hd5830/17.htm) and I wonder if it would be up to dealing with the task of cooling the 5870, whilst keeping noise in check. Customer reports seem fairly positive and at only €40 more than the rev 2 5850´s, it is by far the cheapest 5870 I can find. I detest it`s appearance, but I won’t see it once it`s in the case. Is this card the current people’s champion or an option best avoided?
€340 shipped.
f) Powercolor 5870 PCS+:
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Powercolor/HD_5870_PCS_Plus
This is my first choice at the minute for a number of reasons, mainly a near perfect balance between noise and performance. Again, I understand that this is a rev 2 board that does not allow voltage modification, but without getting into a performance debate, it seems like it already has more than enough juice and people have reported sending them up into the 900‘s on stock volts, so the option to overclock, if and when I need it, may be there despite the limitations entailed by the inability to modify voltage. Indeed, the new PCS++ version comes factory clocked at 950 MHz and probably uses exactly the same set-up; however its price, at €470 shipped, has ruled it out. The question is, is the PCS+ worth an additional €90 over and above the 5850 version when what I’m getting is basically a 5850 at higher speeds, with more shaders and a manufacturer’s guarantee? All other 5870‘s with the rev 2 PCB clocked at 875 MHz seem to cost more or less the same:
€390 shipped.
Most of the feedback I’m getting suggests getting a 5850 and overclocking it to 5870 levels. I think this is sound advice, but there are a number of things to consider:
a) It has become difficult to find rev 1 PCB’s.
b) I probably wouldn’t put up with the noise of the stock cooling on a 5850, let alone a 5850 overlclocked, and aftermarket cooling is going to add to the cost.
c) I have no experience overclocking graphics cards and really don’t want to use a €300+ card as a guinea pig.
So, I can either settle on one of the 5850's at €280 - €300, add €40-€60 to get the Sapphire 5870, or add €90-€110 and get the Powercolor 5870. Alternatively, I can wait to see what Southern Islands will bring to this equation, but we have no firm date, no pricing estimates and no guarantee that games will begin to fully take advantage of DirectX 11 in the immediate future.
That’s the conundrum, what would you do?
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