Preview of the AMD HD4870X2

INTRODUCTION

When AMD launched the HD4850 and HD4870 earlier this year they continued with the strategy that they had started with the HD3000-series. Instead of trying to create a really fast, and expensive, GPU and then scale it down over the following 6-12 months for other segments, AMD decided to create the best GPU for the $200-$300 enthusiast segment and then either scale it down for the entry level segment or combine more than one GPU for the hard core gamers. The reception of the HD4850 and the HD4870 has been very good and these GPU's even got NVIDIA to lower their prices quite a lot just to be able to compete.

All that really has been missing is a card that could go up directly against the GTX280 and today we are previewing the card that wants to do exactly that; the HD4870X2, codenamed R700.

As the name implies this is a card that is similar to the HD3870X2. AMD has taken two HD4870 GPUs and put them on one PCB, effectively creating a one-card CrossfireX solution. The card we are previewing here is an engineering sample that has the power saving features turned off so we will not measure this in today’s preview. As soon as we get the final version of the card we will of course also test this aspect of the card, especially as the card is expected to draw quite a lot of power.