HD4850 X2 outperforms GTX280
The new HD4850 from ATI has proven to be better than the GTX280 as it easily out-performs it by up to 34%.
The company claims a performance lead of anywhere from 8 to 34 percent in current titles against the GTX280. As the HD4850 X2 is set to sell at $399, or around €270-290 in the EU, this sounds like an impressive score. The card runs at 625MHz, and unlike the HD4870 X2, it features 2GB of cheaper DDR3 memory, which goes a long way in keeping the cost down.
There’s also a chance vendors will offer a 1GB version, but this doesn’t seem very likely, although it would allow vendors to offer it at an even more attractive price. Even with 2GB the new card will probably provide you with the best price/performance ratio in the high end.
Much has been said about the R700 lately, but the DDR3 flavored HD4850 X2 might just be the card to hit the sweet spot. It will end up significantly cheaper than the HD4870 X2, but it will still pack enough punch to outperform the GTX280 while selling for some €50 less.
