Performance of ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2?

[Brruno]

My friend is thinking to buy laptop in which ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2, I know that is not new (recently launched) product. But seems that he has interests in it. I am here to take some advice form you members. I am sure that you people will provide some useful detailed information. Also if you think that this is not proper choice, then please suggest some another one. Any other information related to it, would be grateful.

[Rover]

Two Mobility Radeon HD 3870 graphics cards in Crossfire mode. This solution is comparable to SLI by Nvidia and about 20-40% more power than a single X3870 (depending on the game). By using two HD 3870 graphics cards, the power consumption is twice as high. The memory is not "doubled" since each card needs to store the same content. The performance also sometimes referred to as Mobilty Radeon HD 3870 X2 card is notified on average about half a 8800M GTX SLI combination and applies to most DirectX 9 games for a fluid display in high detail and high resolutions. Zb is Splinter Cell - Chaos Theory with over 70fps in 1920x1200. Even Oblivion, Prey or HL2 Ep1 can be played in these settings with high frame rates. More demanding DirectX 10 games like World in Conflict or Crysis, but allow only lower resolutions / detail levels. For example, one in the GTA only XGA Details liquid medium play fourth.

[Rixwel]

A problem of multi-GPU solutions such as Crossfire is the problem of micro stuttering. At frame rates of 30 fps can the different distances between two images to a sensed jerking come by, which is based on a single GPU with 30 fps does not occur (since the images are rendered equally). Like the single card that supports Crossfire composite decoding of HD video to relieve the CPU (Avivo HD). The power consumption of the HD 3800 series AMD loud at 35-55 watts. Therefore we must be prepared in the Crossfire HD 3870 X2 with up to 110 watts. The HD 3870 X2 GPU from ATI has long been promised for notebooks, up to now non-existent. It appears that the M88 GPU, the RV670 is derived from, were spotted on the IDF. Although everything is still on a desktop architecture but ATI makes probably no more empty promises and the GPU will soon introduce officially.

[Joko]

Both VGA concerned have the same basic architecture, the GPU in fact, belong to the family with R600 at 55 nm manufacturing technology. The chips have 320 stream processors, 16 ROPs and the width of the bus to memory is 256 bits, only differ in the operating frequency of 825 MHz and 777 MHz for the 3870X2 for 3870. While fully supporting the GDDR4, as the reference 3870X2 are not adopted this type of memories, but are installed GDDR3 memory clocked at 1800 MHz, the choice fell on them to reduce costs and avoid problems of supply. The 3870 by contrast, uses the latest technology in video memory, which is the operating frequency of 2250 Mhz. The multi gpu solutions, we have followed over the years as far back as 1997, when 3dfx, introduced for the first time SLI (Scan Line Interleave). The performance of a pair of Vodoo2 were double those of a system with a single graphics accelerator, a performance boost that current technologies can not play. 3dfx had opened a new road of development of the GPU, the cost and complexity of these architectures, however, remained tied to niche markets. ATI launched in 2000, its video card with 2 gpu, ATI RAGE FURY MAXX, the latter was equipped with two GPUs RAGE 128, unfortunately, its life was relatively short and left after a few months ATI driver development.

[Wannabe]

For the professional market, were created video cards based on R300 GPU (the one of the popular Radeon 9800), used mainly in professional flight simulators. ATI in the search for maximum performance, wanted to integrate on the same R680 GPU PCB 2, a bridge linking them with PCI-E manufactured by PLX Technology, PEX8547 model, equipped with 48 PCI-E. This chip was designed by PLX specifically for this type of use, because it guarantees very low latency communications (110 ns between two lines to 16x), three doors freely configurable and integrates a switching technology that allows you to not block messages between two VGA and the system so as to eliminate possible bottlenecks. The PEX8547 is compliant with the PCI-E 1.1, which makes the production of PCBs simpler solution than a PCI-E 2.0, because the tolerances of the old specifications are much less restrictive than at present. All the more amazing is that we now take place on the IDF a working version of a "Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2" could get to see that just like the desktop version on two RV670 GPUs familiar or M88. This is definitely running, but was not yet in a notebook, but only how it is used as an external graphics card on Intel's "Montevina" platform operated. It seems probably act only by a model object to which, unfortunately, there is no additional information - the exact clock speeds and a release date remain unknown. Although ATI has already said several times that there will in future mobile version for notebooks by the RV670 GPU, this is to date not really available. The code name of a Mobility Radeon HD 3870 GPU is "M88".

[Quattro]

Although ATI has already said several times that there will in future mobile version for notebooks by the RV670 GPU, this is to date not really available. The code name of a Mobility Radeon HD 3870 GPU is "M88".

It is probably identical to the RV670 for the desktop segment, but there are around continued improvements in power consumption. In order to keep them even under load for a notebook in check, we can think beyond good that ATI will let go of the M88 with fewer execution units, and lower clock speeds than the RV670 to the Start - the GeForce 8800M series of Nvidia makes this before. Only can be viewed as certain that approximately two MXM modules for a Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 can be used. The version shown here has more than two for a notebook very expansive cooling systems, see the previous processor coolers very similar. The application of this graphics card is obviously in the gaming notebooks, and there was no announcement of a manufacturer to use such a 3D accelerator. First, will surely come a Mobility Radeon HD 3870 with a single M88-GPU on the market. The 3870X2 combines two GPUs in Crossfire mode configured, ATI will make available next month with the Catalyst 8.3 driver, the possibility of using two-mode CF HD3870 X2. The potential for a system with four GPUs are really great on paper, remains to be seen the optimization of the actual driver with video games now available on the market. The HD3870 allows configurations with 4 video cards, but this will be limited to systems with AMD chipset with 4 PCI-E, in fact, currently, there is no provision enabling the CFX even on systems with Intel chipsets.

[Fragman]

Like all series of VGA HD3xxx HD3870X2 and HD3870 also support the features of PowerPlay, thus reducing the operating frequency of 300 MHz GPU only when the card is Ilde, reducing the temperature and fuel consumption. This technology was created originally for the GPU for laptops, but with the significant increase in consumption of the top range GPU, it became useful in the PC Desktop. Both VGA integrated UVD chip, and then allows you to watch HD content protected with HDCP and 5.1 multichannel audio sent through one of the DVI ports, using the special DVI-HDMI adapter included in the package. The interesting thing about the report but that it will finally have a better ATI mobile chip. how this looks, has not done so up very much. A 9600 would not be bad either.

[Lord of the RIG]

The packaging of the Sapphire HD3870 512 MB is very small and very solid. The layout takes up the theme Ruby, Sapphire uses as the logo of the series, HD3000. Particular emphasis is given to the quantity of GDDR4 video memory (512 MB) and support CrossFireX mode. On the back and sides are showing the other technical features. The Sapphire HD3870 512MB, ATI follows the reference, has a dual slot cooler and is not too large, it is 23 cm long and weighs 600 grams. Sapphire has personalized the card with a sticker that makes clear glimpse of the real copper heatsink. The power supply section is well maintained, it is cooled by a dedicated heat sink. The rest of the discrete components and quality. The card need for additional power through the 6 pin PCI-E. Is measured with a commercial energy meter PM 230 with an accuracy + / - 10W of the measured value. It should be noted here that the whole system is measured and not the graphics card alone. The power consumption for the HD 3870X2 CrossFireX card is of course much higher than a normal 3870 card and thus the performance pay their tribute, in which they can cite almost at the top, according to me.