Quick questions about noise - what were the noise levels like compared to the stock cooler? You mention that the fan spins up and down with load - was it (subjectively) inaudible in general desktop use? Was it noticeable during intensive load? Finally, does it rev up and down in an annoying fashion?
Are you guys really that excited about 4 fps in crysis? I make 500 usd a month and my "buck to bang" ratio is just as important as the next joe's but 4 fps?
Originally Posted by Nature Are you guys really that excited about 4 fps in crysis? I make 500 usd a month and my "buck to bang" ratio is just as important as the next joe's but 4 fps?
Fantabulous review, sorry to rain cynicism on ya.
Nope, we're more excited about the fact this card (including the cooler) is less than the sum of its parts, which is what makes it good value for money.
Glad to hear that the PCS+ cards are actually pretty good. I've had to RMA two Sapphire 4870's and decided not to go for the hat trick so I opted for a PCS+ 4870, it arrives on Thursday so I'll let you know what its like.
When I was talking to the customer service bods to arrange the exchange they were saying that they would suggest that anyone buying a 4800 series card should replace the stock cooler as soon as possible, they would make the same recommendation to anyone buying a 200 series nVidia card as well. Isn't it about time that the card manufacturers woke up to the fact that their stock coolers are rubbish and gave us something decent to begin with? Or would that mean the end to the after market cooler business?
Originally Posted by Denis_iii Toxic is overpriced, rather get a stock 4870.
Any idea when you'll be reviewing the HIS 4850 IceQ?
If not any links to a review.
Originally Posted by mclean007 Thanks for the review. Looks like a contender!
Quick questions about noise - what were the noise levels like compared to the stock cooler? You mention that the fan spins up and down with load - was it (subjectively) inaudible in general desktop use? Was it noticeable during intensive load? Finally, does it rev up and down in an annoying fashion?
Cheers! :D
Completely unnoticeable during even intensive load - it doesn' rev up and down either. In comparison to the stock cooler at full whack, it's like a completely different card.
Originally Posted by Denis_iii Toxic is overpriced, rather get a stock 4870.
Any idea when you'll be reviewing the HIS 4850 IceQ?
If not any links to a review.
We do have one, actually. (A 4850 IceQ4, that is)
DUDE!!!! When you getting a review out? nothing ATM aside from forum review
For gaming at 1680*1050 do you think the extra 40quid for a 4870 over the 4850 is worth it? and if you could get a GTX260 for cheaper then 4870 which would you go for?
I have a issue with this review. Harry mentions that the cooler spins up and down due to temps but this is a Zerotherm unit which has no such voltage regulation to adjust the fan speeds. So how would the fan change speeds?
I have the exact same card but the HD3850 version(identically the same) but the cooler is stuck at full wack 100% of the time. This was reflected in the review for the previous card, but in this review it is said it has it? but from judging from the pics all it has is a positive and negative connection to the board, so how does this card have a temp controlled hsf?
From what we've been told, the 4850 PCS+ uses voltage regulation on the 2-pin power connector and adjusts according to the GPU temperature. I believe this is controlled by the card's BIOS. It's pretty simple and there are only two settings, but it doesn't spin up and down like a yoyo.
You're right that the 3850 only operates at one speed - 100% - and this looks like very much the same fan.
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Quick questions about noise - what were the noise levels like compared to the stock cooler? You mention that the fan spins up and down with load - was it (subjectively) inaudible in general desktop use? Was it noticeable during intensive load? Finally, does it rev up and down in an annoying fashion?
Cheers! :D
Fantabulous review, sorry to rain cynicism on ya.
Nope, we're more excited about the fact this card (including the cooler) is less than the sum of its parts, which is what makes it good value for money.
Any idea when you'll be reviewing the HIS 4850 IceQ?
If not any links to a review.
When I was talking to the customer service bods to arrange the exchange they were saying that they would suggest that anyone buying a 4800 series card should replace the stock cooler as soon as possible, they would make the same recommendation to anyone buying a 200 series nVidia card as well. Isn't it about time that the card manufacturers woke up to the fact that their stock coolers are rubbish and gave us something decent to begin with? Or would that mean the end to the after market cooler business?
We do have one, actually. (A 4850 IceQ4, that is)
Completely unnoticeable during even intensive load - it doesn' rev up and down either. In comparison to the stock cooler at full whack, it's like a completely different card.
DUDE!!!! When you getting a review out? nothing ATM aside from forum review
For gaming at 1680*1050 do you think the extra 40quid for a 4870 over the 4850 is worth it? and if you could get a GTX260 for cheaper then 4870 which would you go for?
I have the exact same card but the HD3850 version(identically the same) but the cooler is stuck at full wack 100% of the time. This was reflected in the review for the previous card, but in this review it is said it has it? but from judging from the pics all it has is a positive and negative connection to the board, so how does this card have a temp controlled hsf?
You're right that the 3850 only operates at one speed - 100% - and this looks like very much the same fan.