Widescreen Gaming Forum

So your saying I just need a DP --> DVI adapter not an active adapter?

I was just going by what the review said.

Considering they will have the 6x mini display port model down the road wonder why they couldn't make this card have the 2x dvi & 1x hdmi work all at the same time.

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Supposedly, as long as you're using a digital display and not an analogue one, you only need a passive adaptor.

edit: Some confusion after reading reviews that say you need an active adaptor if you want to run any form of DVI screen out of the DisplayPort. Perhaps our ATi rep can clear that up?

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Hm. I'm reading reviews...

Thoughts:

Performs the same or better as a 4870X2, except in games where CrossFire works really well, like HAWX, where the X2 leads by a fair margin.

Performs the same or better as a GTX285 consistently.

Performs the same or below a GTX295, usually below, but occasionally manages to catch up.

Power draw. Look at the load power figures - nearly 150w less than a 4870X2 for the same performance. 75w less power for the same performance as a GTX285. ~120w less power than a GTX295. The power draw on the card is very, very impressive. Even the idle draw is exceptional now.

Should be sweet in CrossFire.

edit: Finally! Angle independent anisotropic filtering!

SuperSampling AA again! I wonder if that means that Final Fantasy VIII will render correctly with max AA on, like it with with the old Voodoo5?

The AnandTech review is interesting. The 5870 does pretty well against the GTX295 in most of the benches... beats it in some, draws in others, loses in some... I suspect it's down to the dual-GPU nature that the 295 has an advantage...

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Pricing:

UK pricing is OK. The lower end is basically where I expected it to be. eBuyer seem to be avoiding price-gouging the way that some are. To be honest, I'm pretty horrified that Scan are trying to charge 11% more than eBuyer for the same cards...

A real pity non of the reviews that I have read thought to put up some 3x1680x1050 or 3x1920x1200 figures to go with the standard sizes.

I was also quite disappointed by the Anandtech reviewer, not 'getting' FoV etc. You'd think he would have had a little look around about TH gaming before he talked about it!

Still questions I want answering are:
#Active or passive adaptors required always or only at a specific res?
#Can we run 2 or 3 gpu in non-crossfire mode and run one monitor per card; all as one screen (I guess we can with the massive 24 screen displays they put up)
#Is CF a definite for EF in the future? Better be cos I want the x2 version to run on my (non CF) mobo
#Will we be able to run EF AND HYDRA at the same time? :p

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Dipping bags at Mach1.9

I think ill crossfire two of these 5870 and keep using my matrox triplehead2go if the new ATI drivers can actually run DX 10 (and DX 11) at 5040x1050 + matrox.

To be honest, the GTX295 being a bit faster is not too much of a worry. Well, it is kind of a worry, but when you're talking about 2560x1600x4AA and still looking at over 100fps, there really isn't too much to worry about. ;) By the time games that use that power come out, the 5x00 series will be a couple of generations old. :lol:

Can't help feeling a little disappointed all the same, though.

A real pity non of the reviews that I have read thought to put up some 3x1680x1050 or 3x1920x1200 figures to go with the standard sizes.

I was also quite disappointed by the Anandtech reviewer, not 'getting' FoV etc. You'd think he would have had a little look around about TH gaming before he talked about it!

I agree. But hey, reviewers do that a lot. The issue I have is that AnandTech is so widely read and usually well respected that I fear a lot of enthusiasts will go, "But Anandtech says... [EyeFinity is [a gimmick]]" or something.

Still questions I want answering are:
#Active or passive adaptors required always or only at a specific res?

I'm gonna be asking or ATi rep that. Gimme a few. PM sent.

#Can we run 2 or 3 gpu in non-crossfire mode and run one monitor per card; all as one screen (I guess we can with the massive 24 screen displays they put up)

Supposedly not, right now. Might come in a driver update.

#Is CF a definite for EF in the future? Better be cos I want the x2 version to run on my (non CF) mobo

They want it to be. I'd say its suicide if they can't get the two working together, as EF needs CF for the ultra-high-end.

#Will we be able to run EF AND HYDRA at the same time? :p

No idea. :(

Jesus... Anandtech really hammered those cards in load power draw tests. Still, 5870CF draws 430w with WoW loading. I'd like to see Crysis loads, then I'll decide whether 5870CF is doable on my 620w Corsair. (Two won't fit in the case, but hey...!)

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Having now looked at multiple reviews, on those occasions where the GTX295 does beat the 5870 handily, it usually has low minimum framerates. Which you go for depends on whether you like consistent fps or high averages...

OK. Scan have dropped their prices more in line with other etailers from what the Hexus pricing was saying. And... they have stock of a £318 Sapphire card...

..tempting. Purely for the decreased power draw.

I've just bought two Sapphire 5870. :triplewide

Nice, man. Nice. Let us have some benchies? :D

I've just spotted that the 5850 is £100 less than the 5870. £210 I can stomach. Now, while it's not like the 4850 which had the same number of Stream Processors (the 5850 is down 160 SP's from the 5870) for 1/3rd less money, I'd be really interested in seeing benchmarks.

All the reviews are of the 5870, though. :( I wonder how good the 5850's idle and load power draw is? If it's the same (or lower) then that's excellent! :D Also wonder how much performance impact that GDDR5 speed drop and 160SP's lost makes...

Nice, man. Nice. Let us have some benchies? :D

Sure, as soon as i get these beauties here. :P