AMD Radeon HD 4890 vs Nvidia GeForce GTX 275

[Hardwareman]

After the successive launch of NVIDIA GeForce GTX 295 and GeForce GTX 285, earlier this year, it is AMD's turn to repeat its range of graphics cards with the release date of the Radeon HD 4890. New reference high-end successor to the Radeon HD 4870, the Radeon HD 4890 is faster and more efficient.

Being clear from the beginning of this article, the Radeon HD 4890 is not a technological revolution, it is largely based on its predecessor, the Radeon HD 4870. We will be also begin to use, the latest product launched from NVIDIA. We remember in fact that the GeForce GTX 285, as the newly revised GeForce GTX 260, are far from having reinvented. Moreover, the 55 nm version of the GeForce GTX 260 has not even received a name change unlike the GeForce GTX 285.

Back to the Radeon HD 4890 which should allow AMD to build its leadership position in the niche high-end graphics cards market. If the graphics division of the founder of Sunnyvale was in trouble for very long months, the advent of the series of Radeon HD 4000 has helped turn the tide by cutting again the lion's share in its market of choice. Simple upgrade from Radeon HD 4870, the Radeon HD 4890 should offer more performance for a cost as aggressive. At least the promise of AMD! What is it really? The answer in this test with the added bonus, the performance of GeForce GTX 275, will show us.

AMD Radeon HD 4890: news and features

Based on a new chip, code-named RV790, the Radeon HD 4890 incorporates many of the features of its elder. Remaining etched 55 nm, the chip is still class DirectX 10.1, pending the arrival of DirectX 11 channels by the end of this year. Lack of technological revolution and in the absence of die-shrink, the RV790 has the same number of units calculated as the RV770. There are indeed 800 stream processors, the same number of units on the Radeon HD 4870. In truth, and without wishing to go into technical details already mentioned in the past, the RV770, as the RV790, include 160 units of calculation, each capable of working on the five components of a vector (160x5 = 800).

However, the RV790 chip is not a 'reputation' as it takes advantage of new manufacturing process in TSMC 55 nm, which should allow, at least in theory, easier to grow in frequency. With 959 million transistors, the chip takes advantage of minor changes in design with a revision of the energy distribution or the addition of decoupling capacitors to reduce noise in some places by the signal. The evolution of the manufacturing process must in all cases allow partners to offer ATI cards overclocking as we see in the following pages. In the meantime check this point, it has a drawback: a slight increase in the number of transistors.

The RV790 graphics chip at the heart of the Radeon HD 4890

Failing to include a larger number of units, and through an optimized manufacturing process, the chip is cadence at higher frequencies. While the Radeon HD 4870 operates at 750 MHz, in its standard version, the Radeon HD 4890 is clocked at 850 MHz. The increase amounts to 100 MHz, a frequency flow 13% greater. Overclockable versions of the Radeon HD 4890 should benefit from their side of a clock speed of 900 MHz for the graphics chip. Regarding memory, there is a 256-bit memory bus when the AMD uses GDDR5. While the GDDR5 memory of Radeon HD 4870 operating at 900 MHz, the frequency increases to 975 MHz in the Radeon HD 4890. The theoretical memory bandwidth is a good 115 GB / s to 124.8 GB / s and we accept that the map loads default 1 GB of video memory.

[Hardwareman]

AMD Radeon HD 4890

Similar to the Radeon HD 4870, the Radeon HD 4890 is in the details! The PCB of the two cards is almost identical, while the PCI-Express second generation is used in all cases. In double-slot format, the Radeon HD 4890 adopts a red PCB and required to operate the connection of two power cables to six pins. Echoing the same cooling device that the Radeon HD 4870, the chip Radeon HD 4890 is covered, as well as memory chips, a copper plate on which a radiator throne finned aluminum. The whole is embedded in a plastic shell with its tip in a fan-type squirrel cage. Warm air is expelled outside the configuration. Surprise, as compared to Radeon HD 4870, the cooling device of the Radeon HD 4890 although identical, is more noisy.

Compatible with the technology rendering multi-processor from ATI, the Radeon HD 4890 has two CrossFire connectors. With two DVI connectors, the card provides output analog video connector to mini-DIN format and will be generally shipped with a DVI / HDMI. In fact ATI chips that integrate audio, 7.1 compatible: it can send to an external device the video stream and audio stream, no additional connections to be made between the sound card (separate or integrated into the motherboard ) and the graphics card. The frequencies of the card are logically identical to those announced by the manufacturer when the latter is equipped with 1 GB of GDDR5 memory chips in the form of Qimonda.

AMD Radeon HD 4890: the XFX

The XFX manufacturer has recently joined the ranks of partners AMD's surprise, since previously the division of Pine, was a partner NVIDIA exclusive. XFX is part of partners to launch the Radeon HD 4890 and could send us a video card based on the latest AMD chip. Similar in all respects to the reference design developed by AMD, the Radeon HD 4890 in XFX XXX edition is a overclockable card.
Showing the red PCB ATI, the card has a PCI-Express slot 16x Second Generation and occupy two slots in the case of your PC. It requires a dual power supply with two PCI-Express cables and six-pin and has the cooling system standard developed by AMD. There are a radiator fins, mounted on a copper and sheathed in a translucent plastic shell with its tip in a wide fan, squirrel cage type. Level connections, the card offers two DVI connectors and connector MiniDIN for analog video outputs.

Graphics Card Radeon HD 4890 XFX view

Proceed to more interesting, with the technical specifications of this card, specifications superior to AMD recommendations for the standard model that we find. With the standard 1 GB of GDDR5 memory, the card features a processor clocked at 900 MHz, 50 MHz more than the standard model. Later memory, the frequency of the chip remains unchanged side with the standard model, or 1950 MHz. Finally, XFX complete it by providing a game, rather a very recent since it's Tom Clancy's HAWX, a set of flying fighter jets.

[Hardwareman]

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 275

Outpaced by its rival AMD, even though he held the candle over the years, NVIDIA seems caught off guard since the summer of 2008. The firm of Santa Clara has indeed failed to decline the architecture of the GeForce 200 series on the entry and mid-range when she was forced to rename a number of products, products most of them old and based on the almost mythical G92, to make them seem a little more than nine ... But it is not enough to rename the GeForce 8800 GT, GeForce 9800 GT or even GTS GeForce 250 to make it more efficient ... Unfortunately for NVIDIA!

With a GeForce GTX 285 for the less convincing in terms of performance, NVIDIA could not match AMD in regard to price, making it almost fell. So, to counter the Radeon HD 4890, NVIDIA released its GeForce GTX hat 275. This new reference is obviously a derivative of GT200 architecture just position in the premium sector and aims to take the place, eventually, the GeForce GTX 260. So what's new?

We are dealing here with a chip etched 55nm logically, like the GeForce GTX 285 and GeForce GTX 295, supports DirectX 10 (and not 10.1 like the Radeon HD) and having 240 stream processors and 80 texture units. On paper, therefore, the GeForce GTX 275 is as well armed as the GeForce above as it contains as many units! It differs, however, GeForce GTX 285 by a memory bus width reduced, since the GeForce GTX 275 enjoys a 448-bit memory bus and 512 bits. The amount of onboard video memory on the card will be less than that which equips the GeForce GTX 285 with 896 MB, 1 GB, not in terms of memory bandwidth, the GeForce GTX 275 offers a theoretical throughput of 127 Gb / s. Later operating frequencies, the chip operates at 633 MHz, its stream processors at 1404 MHz while the memory frequency is 1134 MHz.

Characteristics of the Radeon HD 4890 and GeForce GTX 275

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 275: A real deal or a paper-launch?

The whole issue of this test, since the GeForce GTX 275 seems to have been launched at the last minute by NVIDIA for lighting a fire against the face of Radeon HD 4890. Problem, the cards based on GeForce GTX 275 will not take place in the trade for at least a week and a half, but retailers can take preorders, while the initial stock for the launch would be 5000 pieces ... Not enough thus ensuring a wide distribution of the card.

Worse, it seems that NVIDIA does not offer dedicated PCB for GeForce GTX 275. This means, according to documents seen here and there, the GeForce GTX 275 can be based either on a GeForce GTX 285 Gradient (the case of our sample) on a GeForce GTX 260. One might have feared having knowledge of this detail, that some GeForce GTX 275 is more efficient than others. Ujesh Desai, vice president of product marketing for NVIDIA, however, assures us that all the GeForce GTX 275 cards will be equipped with graphics chip with 240 stream processors. Remains whether the stability will be there for the long term ...

Similar to the GeForce GTX 285, the GeForce GTX 275 cards delivered by NVIDIA for this test contains the PCB reference GeForce GTX 285. We find a black PCB with connector PCI-Express and second-generation dual SLI tab. Taking up the cooling system developed by NVIDIA, the card incorporates the latest changes in ventirad of GeForce GTX 275. He moved slightly to create a copper surface smaller than that fitted to the original GeForce GTX 280 while the plate covering the back of the card simply disappears.

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 275

Supplied by two electrical connectors to six pins, the card has two DVI connectors and that's all. No analog connector on this model, no HDMI unlike the GeForce GTX 295 for example. Equipped with 896 MB of GDDR3 video memory, the reference sent by NVIDIA adopts frequencies provided that the manufacturer, ie: 633 MHz for the graphics chip and ROP units, 1404 MHz processors and 1134 flows MHz for memory.
Note that, like other equipped with a GeForce chip GT200 architecture, the GeForce GTX 275 has a SPDIF connector to retrieve the audio from your motherboard or sound card to send by the HDMI interface by using the DVI / HDMI usually provided.

[Hardwareman]

The Performance

To test the performance of the latest graphics cards and especially the Radeon HD 4890 and recently published rival, the GeForce GTX 275, we used a recent platform, details of which are shown below:

• Motherboard Asus Rampage II Extreme (BIOS 1204),
• Intel Core i7 920 2.66 GHz,
• 6 GB DDR3-1066 - OCZ,
• RAID 0 - Hard Drive 2x Western Digital Raptor 300 GB

Our system operates on Windows Vista Ultimate Edition with Service Pack 1. It was the 64-bit operating system. On this machine we will test in the Radeon HD 4890 from Sapphire, the Radeon HD 4870, the Radeon HD 4890 in its overclockable signed by XFX, the Radeon HD 4870 X2, but also the GeForce cards: the GeForce GTX 260 (first generation) The GeForce GTX 285 and the brand new GeForce GTX 275.

Drivers side, we have used drivers NVIDIA GeForce 185.63 beta and CATALYST 9.4 beta. Note that the test protocol also changes with the addition of new games: Tom Clancy's HAWX supports DirectX 10.1 and BurnOut Paradise history not to ignore the running game.

3DMark Vantage


It starts with good old 3DMark Vantage. Here the Radeon HD 4870 X2, which is a master standard, finished first widely to other graphics cards. The second and third positions to return 285 and GeForce GTX 275. Faced with the Radeon HD 4890, GeForce GTX 275 is 12% more efficient. Compared to the Radeon HD 4870, HD 4890 model is 11% faster. Finally, with the standard Radeon HD 4890 here represented by a Sapphire card, the card is XFX overclockable of 4% more efficient, always 1920x1200.

Call Of Duty 4 - v1.7


Back to Call Of Duty 4, a FPS that has been quite well received in his time. We note here a significant gap in performance between a GeForce GTX 275 quite at ease and a Radeon HD 4890 in the background. The rest of the XFX model is very close to the standard model, the 50 MHz overclocking seemed not enough ... Finally, we observe that as the resolution increases, the GeForce GTX 275 takes the lead on the Radeon HD 4890.

Crysis Warhead - v1.1 - 64 bit


The latest series of the Crysis franchise, Crysis Warhead, curiously does not Radeon HD 4870 X2, whose performances are less than the single GPU cards. It seems that the CrossFire does not work. But back in the cards at hand. The Radeon HD 4890 appears 3% faster than Radeon HD 4870 in 1920x1200. The model overclocked Radeon HD 4890 brings the average earnings of 4%, while the GeForce GTX 275 is anyway faster than the last card from AMD.

Left 4 Dead


The zombies in Left 4 Dead are based on a very heavy graphics engine of Half-Life 2. We played by demo. In 1680x1050 and 1920x1200, the cards are limited by the processor. We must focus on results for a 2560x1600 hierarchy. In the latter resolution, the GeForce GTX 275 NVIDIA's claims of superior performance with 8% above the face of Radeon HD 4890. The latest AMD chip is 11% faster than the HD 4870 model while overclockable by XFX version of the Radeon HD 4890 allows you to earn 4% of performance.

Far Cry 2 - v1.02


Far Cry 2, tested here with the last patch, is a plebiscite for the Radeon HD 4870 X2 which is well ahead. Little surprise here, the Radeon HD 4890 from XFX overclocked rose to the GeForce GTX 275. This last card is 2% faster than Radeon HD 4890 standard 1680x1050. Finally, with the Radeon HD 4870, the Radeon HD 4890 brings in Far Cry 2 performance gain of 12%.

[Hardwareman]

Overclocking

AMD have put forward the possibilities in terms of overclocking these new graphics cards, we sought to maximize our Radeon HD 4890. To do this, we simply used the Overdrive Catalyst drivers. Thus we have passed the frequency of the graphics chip of 850 MHz to 1000 MHz maximum authorized by the driver. At this frequency, one in 3DMark Vantage 1920x1200 was stable, without any artifact while the performance gain obtained following overclocking was 9%.

Consumption

Before closing this test, we of course we wanted to check the power consumption of graphics cards. To do this, we note the overall system, using a power meter, with two measures: consumption at rest without any activity or the graphics card or processor, and consumer support that corresponds to the maximum value reached during a session in 3DMark Vantage 2560x1600.

First thing, there is an overall lower power consumption, rest for the NVIDIA GeForce GTX. Rest of the transition to the 55nm GeForce GTX 275 and 285 allows to decrease this parameter. While at rest system with a graphics card Radeon HD 4000 will consume a little over 190 Watts, the same system with a GeForce GTX 160 consumes in Watts. Charge, the deal is reversed and the GeForce GTX tend to consume more than the Radeon HD 4000. The GeForce GTX 275 consumes 30 watts more than the Radeon HD 4890.

Conclusion

With the launch of the Radeon HD 4890, AMD proposes a refreshed version of its previous Radeon HD 4870 with the launch dates all the same last summer. Absence of major technological innovation, the Radeon HD 4890 comes down to a simple update. Because if the performance is on average 10% higher on the new Radeon HD 4890, this is exclusively due to higher operating frequencies. At every point identical to the previous chip, the RV790 which is found in the heart of the Radeon HD 4890 has simply benefited from improvements in its manufacturing process to allow an increase in its frequency of operation. Regrettably AMD and did not see fit to provide more units of computation or migrate its manufacturing process to a fine engraving better as the 40 nm ...

Ultimately then, the Radeon HD 4890 is reduced to a Radeon HD 4870 overclocked at all. It fun to see, revealed overclocked Radeon HD 4890 from manufacturers such as XFX, then it is the overclocking version! Moreover, in this regard, the gain offered by the XFX XXX model is appreciable but frankly not transcendent. Intended to make us wait until the DirectX 11 graphics chip, the Radeon HD 4890 should be negotiated around 219 euros and a retail price, which makes it particularly attractive, although higher than the current Radeon HD 4870 1 GB

There remains a small concern for AMD, the reaction of surprise to NVIDIA but. A reaction which gives cautious since coming to the last minute and that it is not clear if the GeForce GTX 275 will really be available in volume at that price by the firm to 239 euros. In any event, if by chance the GeForce GTX 275 is expected to have a real life commercial rate announced, AMD has a problem ... big deal! Indeed, although limited to support for DirectX 10 (and not 10.1 like the Radeon HD 48xx), the GeForce GTX 275 is generally more efficient than the Radeon HD 4890. Faster, it is also interesting to arguments such as technology and CUDA support hardware PhysX technology. It will therefore closely monitor its availability and pricing to find out for sure which of the two privilege cards! But the performance of GeForce GTX 285 for a price significantly below ... it sounds pretty good on paper!