BIG BANG: HD 5970, HD 5870 CrossFireX, HD 5850 CrossFireX (english version)

The test configuration have the following elements:

• Motherboard:
  • GIGABYTE GA-P55A-UD6 (BIOS: F6)
• Processor:
  • Intel Core i5 750 2,66 GHz @ 4 GHz (200×20)
• CPU cooler:
  • Scythe Ninja 2 Rev B
• Memory:
  • Kingston HyperX 1600 MHz @ 2000 MHz 9-9-9-24 2 × 2 GB 1.65 V
• Hard disks:
  • HITACHI 160 GB SATA2 (HDS721616PLA380)
  • Samsung 200 GB SATA2 (SP2004C)
• Graphics cards:
  • GeForce GTX 285 1024 MB GDDR3 (ASUS Matrix GTX 285)
  • GeForce GTX 295 - canceled the participation
  • ATI Radeon HD 5850 1024 MB GDDR5 (ASUS EAH5850)
  • ATI Radeon HD 5850 CrossfireX (2 × ASUS EAH5850)
  • ATI Radeon HD 5870 1024 MB GDDR5 (ASUS EAH5870)
  • ATI Radeon HD 5870 CrossfireX (ASUS EAH5870 + GIGABYTE HD 5870)
  • ATI Radeon HD 5970 2048 MB GDDR5 (ASUS EAH5970)
• PSU: Xigmatek NRP-HC1501 1500 W
• Software environment:
  • Windows 7 RTM 64 bit HUN
  • Intel INF 9.1.1.1019
  • NVIDIA GeForce 196.34 beta x64
  • ATI Catalyst 10.1 (Hotfix)
• Display: ASUS 24T1 TV Monitor

Graphic drivers:

Before we review the results, we have to clear the way of tests. We did not poke the GeForce drivers’ and Catalyst’s settings at the synthetic gauges (3DMark Vantage, DirectCompute Benchmark, Unigine Heaven Benchmark) everything ran in factory configuration. After the synthetic tests we turned on manual 16× anisotrophic filter in both drivers.

Video cards, power usage, warming:

We gauged all participants for power usage and warming. We analysed the appetite of cards in Windows rest by watt metre, in oppress by FurMark 1.8.0 inside gauge module. We strived to constitute approximate average from datas at both time. Temperature maximum was observed by FurMark too.

Muscle dudes

Participants:

We are not concerned with the looks because we have studied them extensively in the past (articles or HOC TV broadcasts). Furthermore the Radeons are all reference models, only the GeForce is exception, that is an ASUS Matrix model with uniqe refrigeration and a taint signing lighting Matrix label. We would like to start in the game a GeForce GTX 295, but our largest grief it could not give a picture for our repeated attempts neither, so we sent it to the locker room.

ASUS EAH5850

ASUS EAH5870

ASUS EAH5970

ASUS Matrix GTX285

Received power usage values:

In case of cards like this calibre – especially talked by CrossFireX system – the power usage is secondary. Although these cards can throw up the electricity bill supremely, confess that if somebody buy one of these cards, he will not concerned by the bill. Good to see that the cards in rest eat slight, it stopped at 164 W by the HD 5970. In opress HD 5870 and GTX 285 is in same level, but HD 5850 eats less. The HD 5970 was the most hungry in the competition, hungrier than two single HD 5850, but the two HD 5870 pressed up 500 W the power usage of the system.