Just Got My 3870X2

Darkwave · 4 Mar 2008 at 11:51

Just going to jot down my first impressions here, might add more to it later.

Naturally the first thing I did was run 3D Mark '06: -

3D Mark 06 1680x1050 / 4xAA: -
8800GTX: 9041
3870X2: 13676

I was going to do some custom benchmarks in COD4 and Oblivion but I hadn't gotten around to doing them yesterday so 3D Mark will have to do for now until I play those games again.

The only complaint so far is that it sounds like a hairdryer under full load, but I expected it.

Crysis 1680x1050 / 0xAA / DX9: -
Play Time: 54.36s, Average FPS: 36.79
Min FPS: 28.10 at frame 1941, Max FPS: 45.38 at frame 835

Crysis 1680x1050 / 4xAA / DX9: -
Play Time: 81.68s, Average FPS: 24.48
Min FPS: 7.53 at frame 1029, Max FPS: 31.94 at frame 907

Crysis 1680x1050 / 0xAA / DX10: -
Play Time: 96.18s, Average FPS: 20.79
Min FPS: 15.50 at frame 1042, Max FPS: 24.56 at frame 979

It appears that both cores are definitely being used in Crysis, but the hardware/drivers suck at DX10.

Oblivion 1680x1050 / 4xAA: -
Play Time: 60.00s, Average FPS: 68.17,
Min FPS: 35.00 / Max FPS: 91.00

Just a quick custom benchmark I ran in Oblivion, much smoother than on my GTX.

schumi84 · 4 Mar 2008 at 11:53

Tbh i havent heard mine at all yet, probably because i am only running at 1280x1024 though. Still, on max detail in crysis and Stalker it doesnt need to spin up at all.

Will have to see how it is once i get my new monitor this week.

Tom|Nbk · 4 Mar 2008 at 12:01

Game benchmarks now kthx. Let's see if it was worth the change.

Diggsy · 4 Mar 2008 at 12:02

Ulfhedjinn said:
The only complaint so far is that it sounds like a hairdryer under full load, but I expected it.

Which one did you get? I was considering a 3870x2, but not if it's noisy!

Darkwave · 4 Mar 2008 at 12:05

Tom|Nbk said:
Game benchmarks now kthx. Let's see if it was worth the change.

I already told you that I didn't get round to recording the ones I was going to do yesterday.

I might get round to it today though before I send my GTX off, I'll edit the OP if/when I do.

Diggsy said:
Which one did you get? I was considering a 3870x2, but not if it's noisy!

I got the Powercolor one. Much noisier than my GTX.

Tom|Nbk · 4 Mar 2008 at 12:08

Not playing games the minute you recieve a new card. Ridiculous!

easyrider · 4 Mar 2008 at 12:08

Whats the IQ like?

Better than the GTX?

Tom|Nbk · 4 Mar 2008 at 12:11

easyrider said:
Whats the IQ like?

Better than the GTX?

Doubt it. Maybe on the AA front but it's well known NVIDIA's AF filter is superior.

Darkwave · 4 Mar 2008 at 12:11

Tom|Nbk said:
Not playing games the minute you recieve a new card. Ridiculous!

Come on this is OcUK, you know our favourite game is 3D Mark '06!

easyrider said:
Whats the IQ like?

Better than the GTX?

Indistinguishable from what I can tell, I'll see if I still get shimmering in Oblivion later though.

The Asgard · 4 Mar 2008 at 12:12

Ulfhedjinn said:
The only complaint so far is that it sounds like a hairdryer under full load, but I expected it.

Thats my only complaint so far. However I have noticed it varies a lot with the game. Hellgate is pretty quiet but NWN2 is quiet loud. Obviously the card is reacting to the GPU load.

Like I said in a previous post Fornowagain suggested fixing the fan speed to 40%. Still a bit too noisy for me tbh. 35% is not too bad.

Tom|Nbk · 4 Mar 2008 at 12:14

Ulfhedjinn said:
Come on this is OcUK, you know Easy's favourite game is 3D Mark '06!

Fixed.

The Asgard · 4 Mar 2008 at 12:14

Ulfhedjinn said:
Indistinguishable from what I can tell, I'll see if I still get shimmering in Oblivion later though.

I have noticed some differences in IQ. The fog and water is much better in Hellgate. Never really noticed it before on the GTS.

Diggsy · 4 Mar 2008 at 12:20

Hmmm, guess that's the Powercolour off the wish list.

@ TheAsgard - is your card a Powercolour too?

Tom|Nbk · 4 Mar 2008 at 12:23

Diggsy said:
Hmmm, guess that's the Powercolour off the wish list.

@ TheAsgard - is your card a Powercolour too?

They're all going to be the same as it is the same reference cooler.

Unfortnately ATi didn't learn a few lessons from the 2900 and still decided to slap on the leaf blower for the X2.

easyrider · 4 Mar 2008 at 12:25

Have people watercooled these yet?

Diggsy · 4 Mar 2008 at 12:25

Tom|Nbk said:
They're all going to be the same as it is the same reference cooler.

Unfortnately ATi didn't learn a few lessons from the 2900 and still decided to slap on the leaf blower for the X2.

That's what I was worried about. Rumour is that HIS will be showing a new ICEQ version of the 3870x2 at CeBIT this week. Here's hoping.

Guess i'll put the upgrade off for a little while yet.

The Asgard · 4 Mar 2008 at 12:27

Diggsy said:
@ TheAsgard - is your card a Powercolour too?

Yep. Are they not all the same ref design?

I know Asus and Gecube have some specials.

Diggsy · 4 Mar 2008 at 12:28

The Asgard said:
Yep. Are they not all the same ref design?

I know Asus and Gecube have some specials.

Thanks. I'm going to do a little more digging before taking the plunge.

HeX · 4 Mar 2008 at 12:28

The Asgard said:
Yep. Are they not all the same ref design?

I know Asus and Gecube have some specials.

Impossible to find atm tho, they are very limited numbers floating around stateside, but i've yet to see one in the UK.

schumi84 · 4 Mar 2008 at 12:32

I would like to see a new X2 version Arctic Cooling S1, as i was very happy with mine cooled passively on my 1950pro.