Headlines - AMD Radeon HD 4850 - the preliminary benchmarks!

[Michael H]

8.501-080602a-064790C-ATI (CAT 8.6) is an older build than the review driver 8.501.1-080612a-064906E-ATI (4800 sample driver).

Something definately doesn't look right with some of the numbers though (crysis in particular - which performs the same as a HD3850 512MB running CAT 8.6). We'll certainly look into it tomorrow, but it looks like either a driver issue, or perhaps the HD4850 only shines when more taxing settings are applied.

[Tarinder]

Hi, all,

I'm pulling this performance preview until we take another look at the numbers; something, clearly, is not adding up.

[HardBall]

Come one Hexus; you can do better than this; than using old and terribly crippled driver plus some nearly useless settings to test a new generation of cards.

This results clearly do not reflect the actual performance of these cards. If I didn't know better then I would have throught that these were canned results from the NV marketing department used to smear the competition. Please do it right next time.

[Azza]

Nice one Tarinder.


How come you guys only do them benchmarks any way?

[MadduckUK]

Hi, all,

I'm pulling this performance preview until we take another look at the numbers; something, clearly, is not adding up.

certainly for the best to to be honest the numbers should never have gone up with those kind of discrepancies...

better to take time over it than try and get SOMETHING out because everyone else is

[Firejack]

Sensible choice Tarinder. I know AMD somewhat caught you off guard, but don't be in such a hurry next time! Hexus reviews are always the best and worth waiting for. Look forward to reading the full review

[Fraz]

Come one Hexus; you can do better than this; than using old and terribly crippled driver plus some nearly useless settings to test a new generation of cards.

This results clearly do not reflect the actual performance of these cards. If I didn't know better then I would have throught that these were canned results from the NV marketing department used to smear the competition. Please do it right next time.

A harsh first post indeed... especially after the author said the results are being taken down!

[Michael H]

Come one Hexus; you can do better than this; than using old and terribly crippled driver

ATI provided review driver - newer build than the public CAT 8.6

Some nearly useless settings to test a new generation of cards. This results clearly do not reflect the actual performance of these cards.

I agree that our standard midrange tests aren't adequate for testing these new 'midrange' cards. Thats why I've pushed for us to test using our high end benchmarks and setup. This will be done tommorrow, where judging by other results I'm expecting the HD4850 will fare rather better in comparison to the competition.

The results do however reflect the performance of these cards - in our standard benchmarks. Should you be looking to run these settings the results are valid.

However the HD4850 design seems designed for more taxing loads, and in our benchmarks I'd dare say most of its shader power is going untapped bottlenecked by other parts and as such increasing detail settings, resolution, AA etc. may have a relatively small decrease in frame rates making the card more attractive.

Our full review will of course explore these issues in more detail, however our first batch of testing was our standard 'midrange' (determined by pricepoint) benches.


Michael - Trained monkey, HEXUS performance labs.

[MadduckUK]

ATI provided review driver - newer build than the public CAT 8.6

no- one else seems to be using it though, which is strange. but come on, this NDA change came out of nowhere, sometime before now and the previous expiration ATI would have told everyone to use an 8.6 derived driver rather than the one that was sent out with the cards. i can see it being a case of bad timing and "caught with pants down" as Tarinder put it

[Biscuit]

wow looking at some of the other reviews posted... bring on the 3870!

Little dissapointed with hexus i must say. Im sure i can trust them to rectify

[MadduckUK]

the fact you are here and posting that Biscuit does make me think the damage wasnt as severe as it could have been, the 48's are certainly entitles to a fair crack and no doubt hexus will provide that, but without the "Keeping up with the Joneses" attitude now.

time zone's mean you cant keep up with the yank sites, so its far better to not try and do your own thing instead. i would put more weight on a later but more concise review anyway.

[wiak]

Hi, all,

I'm pulling this performance preview until we take another look at the numbers; something, clearly, is not adding up.

Hi, thats good
keep up the good work, i know the etailers/retailers raped your guys this time around, but its kinda fun when the customers gets the cards first (nearly to) :bowdown

[JamesD]

Surely the 4850 should be rivalling the gtx 260? Not previous gen cards...

[shadowmaster]

Here are two more reviews comparing the 4850 to the 9800gtx+

http://www.legitreviews.com/article/731/1/

http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/...x+/default.asp

Generally so far the 4850 is as fast at the 9800gtx, but not as fast as the 9800gtx+

[directhex]

hm, very early figures i've seen show the card running the same speed as a 8800gts under linux

[MadduckUK]

http://www.dabs.com/productview.aspx...avigationKey=0

117.87 exc postage