Wich 4850 to get?

[MRCL]

So I'd like to upgrade my comp a bit, like with a fancy new GPU.
I have the 4850 Series in mind, since I am no enthusiast, but like to see some nice looking, not lagging action on my screen.

Now, I found some cards from my favorite dealer, but I'm not quite sure wich one to take, since there aren't any significant gaps between the clocks and stuff, so... I'm a bit lost here, especially because the price range is quite big.

Here is the link to a compact overview of the cards (it's in german language, but I think even those who don't speak that language can read its informations) Note that the prices are in Swiss Francs, but its +/- the same in US Dollars.

http://www.pcp.ch/ProductCompare-co...,14026929,14029442,14029463,14029470,14030198

PS: If you got a better suggestion on what card to get (and will do fine with my system --> specs can be seen to your left), I'll appreciate that. I appreciate any help anyways. I'm a bit a n00b when it comes to GPUs...

 

[red268]

I'd get the cheapest, or the cheapest ASUS one and then put a new cooler on it personally.

EDIT: Arctic Cooling Acellero 1 Rev.2 Cooler - Same cooler I've got. It's so good, I use it without a fan. But you can easily add a fan, and they're cheap!

 

[King Wookie]

I'm currently shopping as well for a 4850, so looking at just those options, my suggestion is go with the His and use the change to upgrade the cooling.

Something worth checking though is service backup with whichever card you go with.

I personally don't see the point of the extra vram at 1680.

And enjoy!

 

[MRCL]

So no Sapphire then huh

Oke thanks a lot, that helped quite a bit here! I'll take the advise and mount another cooler to the card. Think I'll go with Asus, since my mobo and screen is form that brand too

Accelero eh? I heard a lot of good things about it, definetly will take a look at that one.

 

[red268]

So no Sapphire then huh

Oke thanks a lot, that helped quite a bit here! I'll take the advise and mount another cooler to the card. Think I'll go with Asus, since my mobo and screen is form that brand too

Accelero eh? I heard a lot of good things about it, definetly will take a look at that one.

Took my idle temps on my 3870 from 52*C+ down to 36-38*C and load temps down from 104*C (Yeah, 104 ....) down to the 70*C mark .... all without a fan directly attached to it. I got one fan sucking air out just below it, but just a weak PCI slot fan!

Let us know how you get on!

 

[Psyon]

go for the Gainward 4850 Golden Sample, its quiet,oc'ed and even good oc'able.
http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/16...d_4850_golden_sample_graphics_card/index.html

 

[niko084]

+1 on the Accelro, I have used one with 2 92mm fans attached and have heard of people using 2 120mm fans...

It's a great unit but I wouldn't buy the AC fan kit for it, if you want/need one, just grab a 80-92mm or a good pci slot cooler.

Only issue is its size can be hard for some cases.

 

[Psyon]

well, at least in germany the Gainward hd4850 Golden Sample doesn't cost more than a cheap card and the accelero. So I would buy the GS where you have warranty on oc'd clocks and non-stock cooler. But I don't know if that card in switzerland is as cheap as in germany.

Another good is that this cards pushes the hot air out of the case via the 2nd slot

 

[MRCL]

Its cheap enough alright, cheaper than every card on my comparison chart here.
And looks quite ahead of a reference 4850.

But lemme get this straight; the Gainward IS Crossfire compatible, is it? Because on the review i just read, Crossfire was nowhere mentioned, but on the shop's description, it was. So whats the deal now?

 

[Psyon]

any 4850 is compatible to crossfire

 

[MRCL]

Alright! So it's Gainward-Time! Heh I read they don't make that noisy cards anymore like the... what was the card again they used as a hair dryer? xD

 

[MRCL]

Okay I just ordered the Gainward GS and an Accelero S1, now lets see when that bundle is stoppin by my front door...

 

[red268]

Excellent. Might be nice if you could take photos of, and document the process of taking off the old cooler and putting the Accelero on. It may proove helpful for many other people who want to do the same but are unsure about it.

If you get stuck, or need any help, be sure to let us know! Better to ask than to mess it up! (Don't mean to sound patronising - I don't know how much you know/have done in regards to this.)

 

[MRCL]

Ok will do, I might even have some spare 140mm fans lying around... I'll surely document it.

Yes indeed, better to seek help than to waste money... No offense taken

 

[Grings]

Im thinking of picking off a 4850, probably the overclocked 1 gigabyte gigabyte one (that companies name really dosent sound very epic nowadays does it) however, i havent been paying much attention to reviews recently, anyone heard any horror stories about these cards?

 

[Psyon]

seriously I wouldn't buy a 1gb 4850. It is almost as expensive as a 4870 which is way faster and the 1gb vram doesn't make much sense since the 256 bit bus with ddr3 doesn't give you much bandwith. Also the more ram would only make sense in higher resolutions i.e. 1680x1050+ where the speed of this card would get limiting.

@MRCL: I personally wouldn't change the cooling of the gainward GS, it already has a very good cooling solution. And you have warranty on that.

 

[MRCL]

@ Psyon

Eh, I like working on such stuff, and also, I dont quite like the Gainward cooler...

 

[CDdude55]

The one that looks like it comes from Nvidia.

 

[MRCL]

The one that looks like it comes from Nvidia.

Huh, wha?^^

 

[trt740]

this is a very good choice http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131118

 

[MRCL]

@ trt

Thanks, but finding a Powercolor card in Switzerland is pretty damn close to impossible, and newegg no option.

Anyway my Gainward should be in the mailbox right about today, at least i hope so.

 

[airdraft]

just go for the cheapest one...looks like the HIS is the winner of that. I have a visiontek 4850 which looks to have about the same heatsink as the HIS and with the fan upped it loads at like 55c

 

[Zanga]

A word of warning, Asus "Glaciator" cooler is an experiment totaly gone wrong ! The card itself is a RMA wanabe as it hasn't any cooling on the memory or vrm so after market cooling solutions aren't an options but a must.

 

[MRCL]

Zanga

Interesting to hear, because a well known german hardware magazine advertised those glacier coolers as very good and positiv aspect...

 

[Zanga]

I have three Asus EAH4850 cards right now, one was bought about one month ago and had the stock / Ati reference design cooler on it. Three days ago i bought again two Asus EAH4850, although the have the same product code the new bought one features the "amazing" glaciator. The temperature on the GPU is a bit lower when running on auto compared to auto cooling of stock Ati, but there is a catch. On the normal stock cooling the same heat sink covers memory and vrm also, so it's normal that the gpu temp may be a bit higher (the same heat sink and cooler is used for all of them), on the glaciator edition, the vrm are impossible to touch and the PCB around memory modules is extremely hot.