[Gamers Nexus] Tear-Down of Rare ATi HD 4870 X2 Prototype & History | Steve relaxes for 25 minutes in this GPU retrospective
Posted by This-is_CMGRI@reddit | hardware | View on Reddit | 28 comments
Goku_LOL@reddit
This was a fun vid. I've got an old R9 295x2 lying around at my parents that I can donate to Steve. Would be fun to see a retrospective on if he's interested.
Comfortable-Lab2060@reddit
Is that card rare? The normal version of it. My friend juste gave me two of them.
theholylancer@reddit
not really, they are rare because it is a top end card from the era, but just like any other top end card it is mass produced
engineering samples on the other hand, yeah very VERY rare.
R-ten-K@reddit
FWIW Engineering samples are pretty much production models,
theholylancer@reddit
yes, but there should like 100x production to 1 ES no?
if not more
R-ten-K@reddit
Sure. but it’s an arbitrary distinction, like differentiating models based on cosmetic details or minor labeling differences.
My point is that engineering samples are essentially production ready. In the GPU world, these are already in the hands of developers and AIBs for validation and testing just before they hit the market.
I guess that may hold some value for some collectors?
Comfortable-Lab2060@reddit
I did have to repaste both card. They sounded like a jet engine at idle.
So I can see why a lot of them died lol. The same friend gave me a 9800gx2 year ago who has crossed the rainbow bridge.
260X@reddit
That's like an HD5970!
Comfortable-Lab2060@reddit
Hahah I doubt the 4 gpu will be usable in game. Probably only benchmark.
R-ten-K@reddit
They are. They could be used on crossfire. Only for games with profiles in the drivers though.
Both SLI and x-fire escalated to 4 GPU configs.
This-is_CMGRI@reddit (OP)
Didn't LTT feature a 4-GPU card before that was like a flight simulation thing?
Comfortable-Lab2060@reddit
Didnt remember that. But I would be interested to test 😁
WalkinTarget@reddit
I have a 4870x2 on my pegboard hutch and a 7950gx2 in a retro Win 98 box. Very rare cards, but I've been building PCs since the Celeron 300a days.
Ill-Mastodon-8692@reddit
“steve relaxes”
probably good once in a while tbh
Calm-Zombie2678@reddit
We could do with more chill Steve, he doesn't get many opportunities to speak much these days
theholylancer@reddit
i mean... as someone who first got into PCs with athlon 64s and 6800GT I get the man
there was a time when tech felt magical, where improvements generation over generation were... generational and you felt like a king every time time you upgraded.
the big boys were competing for your dollar and worked hard for it.
but now, a gen over gen is like 20-25% at best, price stratification is done so precisely that any gain is matched with its price, and its less competition as how can we all screw the consumers more.
i get why he is angry, and why it has taking its turn, and i honestly love that he is actually advocating for the consumers in a loud way, even if that it is mostly useless because well AI/DC has so much cash that consumers are firmly second or third place.
R-ten-K@reddit
Getting angry at getting old is just going to lead to health issues...
260X@reddit
I didn't realize the 4870x2 was rare since a small YouTuber, DanielC, got his hands on an 4870x2 a while ago.
But then again, that guy has an amazing collection of vintage GPUs; from 9800GX2s to "non-official" dual-core GPUs like Asus Mars so... there's that, I guess.
zopiac@reddit
The rarity here I think comes from the fact that it's an engineering sample, not a retail example of a 4870. Shame it happens to be largely nonfunctional, but it is fairly old now anyhow, and with an unknown history.
airfryerfuntime@reddit
They're not like ultra mega rare. They were high end back then so less were sold, and a lot of them just got trashed over the years, so there are less left. If you spent some time searching, you could find one.
Insidious_Ursine@reddit
A breath of fresh air video from them considering the times we're in and their usual content. We really need more like this!
This-is_CMGRI@reddit (OP)
u/lelldorianx finally rests a while and does a GPU retrospective video on a piece of AMD-ATi merger history. It's the ind of video that you don't see often and is somehow rarer today despite more channels getting to step out of the shadows of the tech YouTube establishment.
kikimaru024@reddit
Most "GPU retrospective" videos are 25% talking about the card's history & 75% running benchmarks in retro or modern games.
260X@reddit
I don't think the HD4870x2 has much of a history.
The competing GTX295, a dual-PCB monster with a combined 896-bit wide bus and two gargantuan GT200B dies, was far more interesting... or at least overbuilt.
Good ol' American muscle!
chipsnapper@reddit
Obligatory “Thanks, Steve” comment
This-is_CMGRI@reddit (OP)
back to you Steve
Bergmiester@reddit
I had that exact card :)
MlNDB0MB@reddit
Overwatch had a dx10.1 path. Idk if it is still there, but it would be wild if you could still play it on this ancient gpu.