HIS vs EVGA Midrange Gaming Face Off Review
Test Setup and Overclocking
Published: 29th October 2010 | Source: OC3D | Price: |
Test Setup
For todays mammoth test setup we're using our now standard X58 setup of a Core i7-950 overclocked to 4GHz.
ASUS Rampage III Extreme
Intel i7 950 @ 4GHz
6GB Mushkin Redline RAM
Corsair AX1200 PSU
Noctua NH-D14
Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit
As for the cards themselves, as you've just seen we're using reference designs all the way courtesy of HIS Digital for the HD6850 and HD6870, and EVGA for the GTX460 768MB and 1GB cards.
Drivers are Forceware 260.99 and Catalyst 10.10a.
Overclocking
For our overclocking we wanted to get the best out of the cards whilst still making sure we had good temperature performance when they were side by side in Crossfire or SLI. What is possible at the leading edge of a single card can sometimes be too much when you're running dual cards.
Therefore the EVGA GTX460 was overclocked from 675 MHz core to 850 MHz core for both the 768MB and 1GB models which is only 14 MHz under our maximum single card clock, but at 850 MHz they are rock solid.
The HD6850 followed the overclocking we used in our recent HIS review, 850 MHz. When we tested it then we discovered that the overclock only made a negligible difference to the results so it will be very interesting to see if this changes in Crossfire.
The HD6870 happily goes all the way up to 1 GHz on the GPU core and, largely thanks to the increased Stream Processors, this overclock gives very handy results.
Speaking of results, it's time to get gaming.
Most Recent Comments
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Originally Posted by Todd
I'm wondering when Quad Xfire would start to make sense. |
Maybe a few. But I don't know any one with four GPUs apart from Diablo and AMD are not going to waste loads of money in resources to cater to one in fifty (at the most) people.
The problem is it's out of AMD/Nvidia's hands any way. It all falls back to game coders and none of them will bother. Why would you? That's like having a thousand English people in a hotel and because there's one German there you make Bratwurst and Sauercraut for all of them. It's just a waste of time and money for pretty much every one involved. Game makers, GPU manufacturers and so on. Take into account that Obsidian just released Fallout : New Vegas with all of the bugs problems and issues from the initial release of Fallout 3. If they were to get it perfect and get quadfire in there it would have taken ten years, not two. Take into account how long Valve have their games in development trying to get them perfect..
Going back to the review.. Crikey. I can not even begin to imagine the ammount of work that went into testing so many different configurations. Hats off guys, this is some of your best work yet. Also -
[editors note: like Hanibal & Murdock]
Who is the crazy one?
hehe that bit made me laugh. I can just see one of you dancing around the test bed.Also -
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...uron/cards.jpg
Interracial GPU gangbang ahoy !
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Originally Posted by murphy7801
Tom your getting better at crysis |
i want to have sex with that picture...
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Originally Posted by tinytomlogan
HAHAHAHA! It was one of the forum members Mr Strawberry playing |
lol must admit all them pictures of the GPUs do look awesome
Reminds me of this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZVbVvZqBJM
Anyone who understands this is a true nerd.
am bit of noob so don't bash me
Cédric
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Originally Posted by Cedric
I've got a question about the dual card winner . The 6850 gets better results in higher end games ( i think ) in crossfire then 460 and the price is almost the same , so why don't you recommend the 6850 in crossfire ? am bit of noob so don't bash me Cédric |
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Originally Posted by tinytomlogan
Because the 460 1GB's win out overall dude in the dual card segment. |
thanks in advance
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Originally Posted by Cedric
Sorry for asking this . So you would recommend the 460 1gb sli for general gaming and for high en the 6850 ? or only the 460 ? i just wannna get the best out of my money . thanks in advance |
dual of either would be epic tbh.
Id buy AMD cards for the cooler and quiet approach though tbh (personal preference)
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Originally Posted by tinytomlogan
what do you mean dude 6850 single or dual? dual of either would be epic tbh. Id buy AMD cards for the cooler and quiet approach though tbh (personal preference) |
Anyway i think its better to wait a couple of weeks because of the new series but for now am thinking about the 6850 cf cause thy cheaper and has little more fps( ~2 )then the 460 sli.
Crysis Warhead page - Single CPU: Stock 6870 performs far more better than overclocked 6870.
Explanation?
PSU problem...?:-)
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Originally Posted by phnikola
I am little bit unsure on reliability of results in this review. Crysis Warhead page - Single CPU: Stock 6870 performs far more better than overclocked 6870. Explanation? PSU problem...?:-) |
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Originally Posted by tinytomlogan
PSU problem, ha friad not dude. Some times overclocking can end up giving you lower results, the card just didnt like it tbh. |
Hmmm, perhaps downclocking would give even better results....
CSS Valid
Time for the Middleweight Championship of the world. In the red corner the HD6850 and HD6870. In the Green corner the GTX460 768MB and 1GB.
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