Sapphire 4850x2 2GB PCIe Graphics Card
Introduction
Published: 27th December 2008 | Source: Sapphire | Price: £189.74 |
Introduction
Based on a 55 nanometre fabrication, the RV770 core pushes the transistor count to 956 million, including 800 Stream Processors. Couple this with a 256-bit memory controller, DX10.1 and Shader model 4.1 support, cooled by a twin fan/dual heatsink design all wrapped up in a sleek aluminium frame and Sapphire appear to have a giant killer on their hands.
Here's what Sapphire had to say:
SAPPHIRE Technology - the leading innovator of ATI-based graphics solutions for the PC - is now introducing the SAPPHIRE HD 4850 X2 – an exclusive new DUAL GPU graphics accelerator based on the successful HD 4850 graphics processor and delivering industry leading gaming performance at a breakthrough price level from its more cost-effective memory architecture.
Designed by SAPPHIRE, the new HD 4850 X2 comprises two complete HD 4850 graphics systems on a single PCI-Express card connected by an on-board PCI Express Gen 2 bridge chip. Each GPU has 800 stream process units and a 256-bit memory interface driving 1GB of GDDR3 memory, making a total of 2GB on-board memory. Four Dual Link DVI outputs are provided as well as TV-Out. This provides a choice of Multi-monitor operation or CrossFire mode in which 3D applications such as games use both on-board GPU’s together to deliver a single accelerated output on the Primary display. In this mode the SAPPHIRE HD 4850 X2 delivers industry leading levels of performance and achieves previously unavailable frame rates in games even at high resolutions with features enabled.
Designed by SAPPHIRE, the new HD 4850 X2 comprises two complete HD 4850 graphics systems on a single PCI-Express card connected by an on-board PCI Express Gen 2 bridge chip. Each GPU has 800 stream process units and a 256-bit memory interface driving 1GB of GDDR3 memory, making a total of 2GB on-board memory. Four Dual Link DVI outputs are provided as well as TV-Out. This provides a choice of Multi-monitor operation or CrossFire mode in which 3D applications such as games use both on-board GPU’s together to deliver a single accelerated output on the Primary display. In this mode the SAPPHIRE HD 4850 X2 delivers industry leading levels of performance and achieves previously unavailable frame rates in games even at high resolutions with features enabled.
Specification
The following specification was taken directly from Sapphire:
Core Clock: 625 MHz & Stream Processors: 2 x 800
Memory Clock: 993 MHz, 1986 Mbps
Interface: PCI Express 2.0 x16 bus interface
Memory: 2x 1024MB /2x256bit GDDR3 memory interface
Cooling: Dual Slot Dual Fan Active Cooler with Fan Speed Control
Connections: HDMI compliant via dongle
Audio: 7.1 Audio Channel Support
Features: Microsoft® DirectX® 10.1 support, Shader Model 4.1 support
Output: Dual DL-DVI-I x 4 +HDTV
Memory Clock: 993 MHz, 1986 Mbps
Interface: PCI Express 2.0 x16 bus interface
Memory: 2x 1024MB /2x256bit GDDR3 memory interface
Cooling: Dual Slot Dual Fan Active Cooler with Fan Speed Control
Connections: HDMI compliant via dongle
Audio: 7.1 Audio Channel Support
Features: Microsoft® DirectX® 10.1 support, Shader Model 4.1 support
Output: Dual DL-DVI-I x 4 +HDTV
Let's take a look at the card itself...
Most Recent Comments
Very intresting, can't beleive I'm saying this but the high end ATI cards especialy the 4870x2 are getting more and more tempting and with this card I guess once the drivers are ironed out its likely to be good.
The GTX295 so far hasn't impressed me much, I'd like to have seen a single card solution as in a sucessor to the GTX280 however it's somewhat unfair to jump to conclusions just yet.
So I we will wait and see but judging by the previous 9800 GX2 wich I owned but wasn't overly impressed by, I don't like the layout idea of two cards linked with an internal SLI connector....I'm sure you will be able to give us the low down on that soon enough though
any dates on a review webbo???
Good ReviewQuote
The GTX295 so far hasn't impressed me much, I'd like to have seen a single card solution as in a sucessor to the GTX280 however it's somewhat unfair to jump to conclusions just yet.
So I we will wait and see but judging by the previous 9800 GX2 wich I owned but wasn't overly impressed by, I don't like the layout idea of two cards linked with an internal SLI connector....I'm sure you will be able to give us the low down on that soon enough though
any dates on a review webbo???Good ReviewQuote
Due to it being the xmas period we won't have any GTX295's to report on just yet but as the impending release date is expected to be mid/late January I would expect to read a review around that time 
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.Quote will keep an eye outQuoteMeh... Noisy, bad driver support (worse than ATi itself... WOW) and about equal performance to the gtx280. Not to mention the fact that 2 cores on one card are harder to custom cool with air.
I was once hoping to go 4850x2, but now the only option I would remotely consider is another 4850 or a gtx260 216.
EDIT: good review though ^^Quote
I was once hoping to go 4850x2, but now the only option I would remotely consider is another 4850 or a gtx260 216.
EDIT: good review though ^^Quote
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You should have also compared it to a Radeon HD 4870x2 to see the difference between the reds.
At 1600x1200, the GTX280 had double the frames of the 4850x2 in Crysis.
More driver problems?Quote