ATI HD Radeon 5870: The Fastest Videocard Ever (PS It's $380)
ATI HD Radeon 5870: The Fastest Videocard Ever (PS It's $380)
Posted 09/23/2009 at 8:30am
| by Loyd Case
178
Comments
Print
AMD packs 2.15 billion transistors into a tiny chip, offering outstanding performance, DirectX 11 support, and triple-monitor (or better) capability. Nvidia’s response is nowhere to be seen
AMD’s graphics division, the former ATI Technologies, loves a good surprise. The company has been a perennial also-ran in the graphics performance arena, but every now and then, it one-ups the competition in a big way. That happened back in 2002, with the launch of the original Radeon 9700, which stole the performance lead from archrival Nvidia. It happened again last year, with the Radeon HD 4800 series. The 4850, 4870, and 4890 weren’t always faster than the competition, but they were small, efficient chips that forced Nvidia into a price war that was good for users but bad for Nvidia’s bottom line.
Now AMD’s doing it again, putting some serious hurt on the competition with the first GPU to support Microsoft’s upcoming DirectX 11 API. AMD’s also been paying close attention to the emerging market for non-gaming apps accelerated by GPUs, such as video transcoding and digital photography, fully supporting DirectCompute 11 and OpenCL standards for general purpose computing on graphics cards.
This new chip is no shrinking violet in the numbers department. Every number associated with the new Radeon 5800 series is staggering: 2.15 billion transistors, 2.7 trillion floating-point operations a second, more than 20 gigapixels per second throughput, 1,600 shader units. Other numbers impress because of their smallness. One example: The idle power is a scant 27W— lower than many entry level GPUs.
Given the sheer scale and ambition of this GPU, does it deliver in the performance realm? And will it deliver at a price normal humans can afford? Let’s find out.
Digging into the Radeon HD 5870
At its core is a no-compromise GPU more efficient than any in graphics history
Two years ago, AMD’s ATI division decided to bow out of the game of building huge, hot chips that were expensive to make, ceding the high-end glory to Nvidia’s GT200 chip. That’s not to say AMD gave up on performance; it instead adopted the mantra of building the best performance GPU within a certain cost and power envelope. The Radeon HD 5800 series, originally code-named RV870, is the culmination of that approach. Taking advantage of Moore’s Law, ATI’s designers were able to build a GPU with few compromises using a 40nm manufacturing process.
Radeon GPUs Compared
Radeon HD 4890 vs 5870
| Radeon HD 4890 | Radeon HD 5870 | |
|---|---|---|
| Die Size | 263mm-squared | 334mm-squared |
| Transistor Count | 956 million | 2.15 billion |
| CPU Clock | 850MHz | 850MHz |
| Memory Clock | 975MHz | 1200MHz |
| Memory Quantity (GDDR5) | 1GB | 1GB |
| Manufacturing Process | 55nm | 40nm |
| Stream Processors | 800 | 1600 |
| Texture Units | 40 | 80 |
| ROPs | 16 | 32 |
| Maximum Board Power (TDP) | 160W | 188W |
| Idle Power | 90W | 27W |
Power and Performance
The new GPU is just 334mm2—30 percent larger than the earlier 4870 GPU, but packing more than twice the number of transistors.
At 27W, the idle power is astonishingly low for such a large chip. The key factor was enabling lower memory clocks and voltages during idle, a feat made possible because of significant improvements in the 40nm manufacturing process. The net result is very low power when the board is just rendering your Windows desktop. At the same time, the VRM (voltage regulator module) interface has been improved, preventing overheating while allowing somewhat higher power consumption when performance is actually needed.
So the HD 5870 can draw less power while it’s doing nothing. But we also expect to see better performance, particularly given some of the other specs listed by ATI. The faster memory gives the 5870 overall memory bandwidth of 153GB/s. Feeding that huge pipe is a GPU with twice as much hardware where it matters—stream processors, ROPs, and texture units.
The graphics engine itself sports some new features—particularly the hardware tessellation engine. While past ATI products have offered hardware tessellation, the new engine fully supports Microsoft’s DirectX 11 tessellation API. ATI is fond of pointing out that this is actually its sixth generation tessellation hardware.
More like this
handsomeboy
August 03, 2011 at 1:30am
This is my first time to visit this web page,and you give me a surprise,now I feel I become a fan of this website.pellet mill manufacturer
rozdi
August 14, 2011 at 3:15pm
This is also my first time being here and I am actually loving it. Such great insights are given. Really appreciate your blog. Refinance Mortgage
isolinx
July 30, 2011 at 7:15am
I visited this page first time and found it Very Good Job of acknowledgment and a marvelous source of info.........Thanks Admin!
http://www.reverse-phone-look-up.net
isolinx
July 30, 2011 at 7:14am
I visited this page first time and found it Very Good Job of acknowledgment and a marvelous source of info.........Thanks Admin!
<a href="http://www.reverse-phone-look-up.net">Reverse Phone Lookup</a>
MaggieKesch
July 06, 2011 at 11:13pm
Thanks for taking the time to discuss this, I really feel strongly about it and love studying extra on this topic. If potential, as you gain experience, would you mind updating your weblog with extra information? It is extremely useful for me. bathroom showrooms dublin
iziel
May 28, 2011 at 11:43pm
I am loving the competition from far and wide. That brings a lot of new features at much competitive prices. Competition insures that customers are always going to get the best deal. refinance mortgage
muzzo
May 18, 2011 at 7:13pm
The faster memory gives the 5870 overall memory bandwidth of 153GB/s and thats good :)
somneim
April 20, 2011 at 8:33am
I think both ATI and nVidia are equally good, nVidia is curently developing the Pshyxs and ATI is working ont the infinity eye, multi monitor system. If there were some way to use both nVdia and ATI imaagine the result and the future of games. Jerico at web hosting reviews.
evelynjroberts
March 19, 2011 at 4:05pm
Interesting post, information about ATI HD Radeon 5870: The Fastest Videocard Ever (PS It's $380) make my knowledge increases, always a spirit and create a new article and i already bookmarked it
monitasmith
February 27, 2011 at 11:57pm
This is in effect and educational. And there's much more accommodating inquiries to more detailed view! I consider they 're outstanding individuals who work on this. gaming note book, gaming laptop, Sager NP8850
doggz
August 23, 2010 at 12:46pm
I dunno how much they cost in the beginning, but I was able to grab an XFX 5870 for around $370 plus tax in a sale last month at Newegg.
Smokeless Cigarette
August 10, 2010 at 8:01pm
I've been out of the video card market for several years but am looking to buy again sometime in the near future. Has this card dropped dramatically in price since this review was written?
AtomicKitten
February 27, 2010 at 1:26pm
I think my ATI 4870 Graphics Card is good enough and still the fastest. Don't upgrade if you have an ATI 4800 series card, wait for 2014 or something and get a new computer then, with a good new processor and video card. I don't think anyone would ever get the 5870 since there will be a better model in the future.
1337-n00b
December 19, 2009 at 8:29am
Yes, I typed right. I am an <em>ati</em>, not an <em>amd</em> fanboy.
Ever since the 4870 x2. It rocked.
So, nVidia, take your power-hungry desktop cards that require 1000-watt PSUs and only run on older tech, with massive, monolithic design, and shove 'em where the sun don't shine.
:-P
My vews will only change if they can get out something as cheap and efficient and fast as a Radeon.
And do it before the Radeon gets even better.
ATI to nVidia: you are STILL obsolete.
it's pronounced ELEET NEWBEE.
and it means talks like a n00b, knows like a 1337.
As opposed to a 1amma, who thinks like n00b, talks like 1337; better a 1337-n00b than a 1amma.
Smokeless Cigarette
December 09, 2009 at 12:18pm
Oh I'm so pumped for this! By the time Diablo 3 comes out this should be in the discount bin for $45 and all mine, all mine! Muhahaha! Smokeless Cigarettes
gendoikari1
December 08, 2009 at 5:16pm
I hope the 5870 available at Newegg.ca stays available. The last one was probably delisted due to both TSMC's awful yields and the cretins that decide to run a quad-Crossfire setup with a crazy-limited card.
apeck9
December 07, 2009 at 11:56am
so what is the real difference between the brands of the 5870 card? diamond sapphire asus xfx .....
xchrissypoox
December 07, 2009 at 1:04am
5870s are becoming more and more available at newegg, they have been there for much of this past week.
Halo549
December 01, 2009 at 9:05pm
Below is my 3DMark Vantage score.
http://service.futuremark.com/compare?3dmv=1151992 <-Verified by Futuremark.
Thats the Intel 965@3850Mhz and count them 2 8800GTX ACS3's SLI and they are almost 3 years old !
Almost match this cards score.
Yes my two 3 year old card against 1 almight powerful ATI card.
Sorry, I'll have to pass on this one !!!!!!
And yes I beat the AMD Phenom II 940 X4 overslocked to 6.1Ghz CPU score with an
Intel 965@3.2 by 10k.......
EVGA send me your GeForce GTX 285 Classified 01G-P3-1190-TR available at zipzoomfly.com for $389.
And I'll beat that ATI 3DMark Vantage score.
Circlestrafe
February 27, 2010 at 11:31am
3DMark Vantage scores are a joke. NOT real world, never have been, never will be. I can show you countless articles, reviews, benchmarks showing negligible 3DMark score differences in machines that, in real world (i.e. actually playing a game, real in game benchmarks) comparisons don't even come close to each other. If you're just looking for numbers on paper, by all means, read 3DMark Scores as the gospel truth. But if you want to know how your system performs in reality, throw those scores out the window. I guarantee you, your dual 8800GTXs won't hold a candle in 32-64 player full detail multiplayer gaming as the 5870 will. Not...even...close.
xchrissypoox
December 07, 2009 at 1:02am
In fact if you watch the following vid at the end he compared the vantage score of both and the 5870s win, just saying. http://www.youtube.com/user/trubritar#p/u/4/RT4xmxC48jU
xchrissypoox
December 07, 2009 at 12:58am
ati has had 4 way crossfire for a while. here is a vid http://www.youtube.com/user/trubritar#p/u/6/WKQVqcHRos4.
Hitachi
November 15, 2009 at 10:27pm
You can't do reviews on cards that don't exist. And as i've proven by searching the internet, clearly this card does not exist, it's just a hoax that ATI came up with for publicity. DUH MaxPC how could you not see through this one. Just to sell the lie they made a single card and sent it to you, how could you be so blind.
JohnP
December 02, 2009 at 7:29pm
Is there really a new card out there by ATI? I think that I have a better shot at photographing a UFO than I do buying one of these cards in the next 6 months. One sick company to "release" a card and never put any in stock anywhere. What is this, a Wii or something?
altair31
November 16, 2009 at 5:17pm
How could you be so dumb as to think MPC would review something that doesn't exist! Also, how could it not exist, since it's in my gaming rig! Sorry, I probably went overboard there, since likely you are some fanboy. As for be, I just want pure power.
Xylogeist
November 12, 2009 at 10:10am
Just tested this against my GTX 295.... Holy hell... The 295 lost... looks like over 70% of your are wrong :) ATI now reigns the land... until the 300 series of Nvidia comes out XD
sybert
November 06, 2009 at 3:50pm
ATI has been owning Nvidia so bad lately. When they release a new GPU it crushes the Nvidia side.
And then ATI got owned by their own manufacturing.
gendoikari1
November 03, 2009 at 7:22pm
All right, fess up. Who has the sole 5870 ever made? Sure, it might kick ass and have DX11 to boot, but it won't do much if there is just one card in existence. AMD's manufacturing progress=fail.
JohnP
November 12, 2009 at 7:50am
Notice that there is NO STOCK on Newegg, Amazon, and Zipzoomfly? Lot of good to have a great card if you DON"T MAKE THEM! Is AMD/ATI nuts? What are they waiting for, NVidia to catch up? Idiots. Never announce a new card unless you can deliver. Otherwise, you get folks forgetting about all the good publicity this card has gotten.
UPDATE: Well, One card in stock at ZipzoomFly (11-5-09). 20% over MSRP but 1st card I have seen...ANOTHER UPDATE must of had all of one card in stock! Gone in 10 minutes..
CrimsonFrost
November 03, 2009 at 10:27am
http://images.anandtech.com/graphs/rv870_092209122344/20094.png
Looks like it's beating the #$%^ out of the GTX295 to me.... Guess what happens to the 295 when the X2 version of this card comes out?
Evolyptic
November 07, 2009 at 12:03am
"Nvidia Geforce GTX 295" is on the list. It is the forth one from the top.
n3iyr
November 01, 2009 at 8:22pm
This is a carefully worded biased article. This guy is so AMD biased he just happend not to mention the NVIDIA GTX-295. Oh, ooops! we were talking single GPU models. Oh, so sorry. So, how is it king if it can't knock down the castle door? The dual GPU model is still secret hush, hush rumor. Well, it might be if, ah, well, um, NVIDIA hasn't said anything ya know. Could be their not worried? Come on dude. It is not king till it rules the land. Truth is, it's another AMD attempt to catch up. As usual. If, could, should, are words. They don't make the card top the numbers.
Evolyptic
November 07, 2009 at 12:07am
The guy above you posted a nice graph that shows how the 285 SLI beats the 295 on crysis & this card beats both; Thus, I think your the one being biased & Fanboyish.
Onyx2291
November 02, 2009 at 12:47pm
Well yes, but still, it can keep up on a decent pace at a fraction of the cost. Once the 5970 comes out then it will be a true battle, equal on both sides for classification purposes.
nVidia does market the 295 as the fastest dual gpu doesn't it?
-Onyx
DRAGONWEEZEL
October 29, 2009 at 12:47pm
They are sold out throughout the state of WA. I found one at *$%#? (Oh, I don't want you to get there before me, I'll uncensor that when I have it in my hot lil hands)
It'll be 400 for the card, and 20 for gas to get there and back. I'll take it though.
THERE ARE ONLY 11 TYPES OF PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD. Those that think binary jokes are funny, those that don't, and those that don't know binary
Mayhemm
October 28, 2009 at 12:15pm
The 5870 seems like an awesome card from a performance and power consumption standpoint. However, this thing looks like the Red October and, from what I've heard, is almost as large. Is this thing going to fit in most cases? My current case is struggling to accomodate a 9.5" card!
shaolin95
October 26, 2009 at 4:17am
It is the fastest SINGLE card. It gets beaten by the GTX 295 and even the 4870x2 very often.
Of course if you prefer single GPU and do not care for the game changing experience that is 3D Vision then this is your card.
Regards
mattman059
October 26, 2009 at 5:10am
Oh wow 3D! what is this 1980? I personally dont give a shit about 3D anything, games, movies, popup books..who cares? I'll take my games the way the good Lord intended it. flat. regular. enjoyable.
DRAGONWEEZEL
October 29, 2009 at 12:46pm
Dude... chill. Flat isn't going anywhere in the next 5 years. Everyone just bought shiny new plasma and Lcd tv's / monitors.
Though I still use an old SGI 3.2 MP monitor.
THERE ARE ONLY 11 TYPES OF PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD. Those that think binary jokes are funny, those that don't, and those that don't know binary
neelchauhan
October 23, 2009 at 11:57am
I went to 3dGameMan.com and they reviewed the 5870, 5850, and 5750 when you only got the 5870. I believe that this is the fastest card but I want to tell high-end gamers (They will need it) and Wii lovers (To suck their money) to buy this.
Connect with MaximumPC
Featured Content
We introduce Intel's latest class of tablet killers and review 4 of the first Ultra...
Where have all the memorable videogame enemies gone?
This month's issue
Feature
11 Hardware Hacks
Feature
Overclock Your CPU
How-To
Supercharge Your Smartphone
Build It
A Powerful $830 Rig
Most Commented Articles
Latest Max PC Tweets
- maximumpc: Analysts: 9-Inch Kindle Fire This Summer http://t.co/QDYApwCZ1 day 1 hour ago
- maximumpc: Micron: DRAM Prices Likely as Low as They're Going to Get http://t.co/fFUWuFOm1 day 4 hours ago
- maximumpc: Yar, Mateys! All Of Pirate Bay Made Available As A Single 90MB Zip File http://t.co/j5LHlXEZ1 day 6 hours ago
