Powercolor HD3850 Extreme PCS - AMD 3850 Performance explored
Test Setup
Published: 15th November 2007 | Source: Powercolor | Price: £135 |
To test these high-end cards I set a PC that gives as little of a bottleneck as possible. The Test setup used for the cards is this:
CPU: Intel Core2Duo E6700 @ 3.33Ghz
Motherboard: XFX 650i Ultra
RAM: 2gb Mushkin XP2-6400 4-4-4-12
HDD: OS - 160gb Hitachi Deskstar SATA II
Power: Zippy 500w
Case: Silverstone TJ09
Cooling: Scythe Infinity
Games Tested:
F.E.A.R.
Call of Duty 4
Oblivion
Quake 4
Command and Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars
Bioshock DX (DX10)
UT3 Beta (DX10)
Crysis Demo (DX10)
I am using a manual run-through of the games listed, exactly the same as in previous reviews, but doing it slightly differently to get some consistant numbers. Notice that for all games unless stated I ran through with 4 x AA and 8 x AF @ 1920 x 1200. For all of the 3Dmark benchmarks I did two runs. One run was with the stock settings that the free version of the benchmark comes with and one was with 4 x AA @ 1920 x 1200.
For installation I have installed the card as usual with the normal PCI-E power dongle. Checked that the card is seated correctly and powered on.
I am using a clean install of Windows XP Professional SP2 with all the latest patches and a fresh install of Vista for those games/cards tested with DX10.
The Powercolor HD3850 was installed using the beta AMD 8.43 Vista driver set (inc CCC)
The 8800GT XXX Alpha Dog Edition card used the nVidia 169.02 Forceware drivers.
Note that the two Ultra cards were tested earlier using 173.71 drivers
The 2900XT card was installed with the Catalyst Control Center 7.9's.
Powercolor HD3850. Core Speed 720. Memory Speed: 1800 (900). Stream Processor clock:
XFX 8800 GT. Core Speed: 670. Memory Speed: 1950 (975). Stream Processor Clock: 1650MHz.
XFX 8800 Ultra "Extreme" Edition. Core Speed: 650. Memory speeds: 2200 (1100). Stream processor clock: 1650MHz.
XFX 8800GTS 320mb "Fatal1ty" Edition. Core Speed: 650. Memory speeds: 2000 (1000). Stream processor clock: 1500MHz.
Gainward 8800 Ultra. Core Speed: 612. Memory Speed 900 (1800). Stream processor clock 1500MHz
MSI 8800 GTX. Core Speed: 575. Memory speeds: 2200 (1100). Stream processor clock: 1350MHz.
Sapphire HD 2900 XT. Core Speed 740. memory speed 1650 (825). Stream processor clock 320MHz.
Overclocking on the nVidia cards was performed using RivaTuner, and the Nvidia control panel using nTune for the 8800GT.
Overclocking on the Powercolor card was performed using RivaTuner
Most Recent Comments
Nice review Kemp. Performance was a little underwhelming but it all depends on the price point really. I think on the first page hard should be harm.
Cheers mate. Performance was pretty damn good if you ask me, £135 for a card that nearly performs as well as an 8800GT?
Nice review there, I really thought I would have to be canceling my 8800gt order! But not quite. I've never had an Ati card, but I take it the price will be around £130 and up for pre oc'ed cards. Is the powercolor a reasonably middle of the road brand for Ati?
The cooler looks pretty decent, found a link to manufactures of them:
http://www.zerotherm.net/eng/product/GX815.asp
Nice one
The cooler looks pretty decent, found a link to manufactures of them:
http://www.zerotherm.net/eng/product/GX815.asp
Nice one
looks awsome
performs medeocre - reasonable
not bad i guess
performs medeocre - reasonable
not bad i guess
ATI are back in the game, well sort of. I wonder when places will get them in stock.
For a stock clocked 8800gt you can get it for 250 at zipzoomfly.com right now its out of stock but if anything its less. I do love the fact that ati is cutting down on power consumtion and higher temps.
Review a 3870? CF?
Review was decent though
Review was decent though
Yep they will be forthcoming, didn't get a 3870 initially but I'll be sure to get one in soon
For £139 in the UK and $140 in the US it's a bargain card that performs almost as well as an 8800GT.
For £139 in the UK and $140 in the US it's a bargain card that performs almost as well as an 8800GT.
Quote:
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Originally Posted by name='Kempez'
Yep they will be forthcoming, didn't get a 3870 initially but I'll be sure to get one in soon
For £139 in the UK and $140 in the US it's a bargain card that performs almost as well as an 8800GT. |
I love the direct conversion from $ to £... Import ftw!
Tried not to bump too old a thread, but I`ve just noticed that PowerColor/Radeon/Sapphire are making an AGP 8x of the 3850.
Interesting for those holding onto 939 boards with their teeth.
Gotta get some decent results from that.
Interesting for those holding onto 939 boards with their teeth.
Gotta get some decent results from that.
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