ASUS EAH5870 1GB Graphics Card Review

Posted by: Sahil Mannick (Helios1234) on: 11/10/2009 09:47 AM [ Print | 0 comment(s) ]

Introduction
Product on Review: EAH5870/G/2DIS/1GD5
Manufacturer and Sponsor: ASUS
MSRP: Not mentioned on site
Street Price: £300 but subject to change.

Today we have with us the first DX 11 graphics card to be released, the ATI HD 5870. Much hype has surrounded the card and for good reason, and with the onset of Windows 7\'s release, being a PC gamer has never been so exciting. But for ATI, the story has not always been one of faultless execution as we see today. To understand how we got to the HD 5870, we need to cast our minds back to the darker days of ATI when Vista was released and DX 10 was to revolutionize gaming. Back then, ATI were expected to obliterate the competition with its HD2900XT, promising outstanding performance with its GDDR4 memory and 512bit bus. Following, a successful DX 9 line up of cards, the HD2900XT only held disappointment and this triggered to a chain of events that has lead to the 5870 today.

Since their unsuccessful attempt at gaining the performance crown, ATI opted for a different strategy, bringing you bang for your buck. Their first attempt was with the HD38xx series of graphics cards and performance was still not on par with Nvidia\'s offering. However, ATI was crawling back in the game slowly, providing cheap solutions that ran cool and had decent performance. It was for this reason that many including Nvidia underestimated ATI\'s next generation of cards. The HD4870 was a formidable card (and still is!), taking everyone by surprise by the sheer amount of performance it offered at such a low price. Often outperforming Nvidia\'s flagship card, the GTX280, enthusiasts rightly went back to ATI. This subsequently lead to a price war that proved further beneficial to us, the consumers. ATI were on full steam ahead, constantly tweaking their cards, and innovating by supporting DX 10.1.

This takes us to today, as ATI has taken their success further adding injury to Nvidia\'s wounds by releasing a whole line up of DX 11 cards ready for Windows 7 and Vista. It\'s no surprise that we have already been hit by massive shortages in supply because the demand has been huge and ever growing.

Enough of the history lesson and time for me to show exactly why ATI\'s new cards have proved so ground breaking. The sample I\'m going to be reviewing can be considered one of the most highly sought after card currently, the ASUS EAH5870 1024MB. Promising to deliver high overclocking headroom on top of class leading performance, ASUS aim to please casual gamers and enthusiasts alike through their unique \"Voltage Tweak Technology\" and other exclusive features.

A bit about ASUS:

ASUS comes from the last four letters of Pegasus, the winged horse in Greek mythology that represents the inspiration of art and learning. ASUS embodies the strength, creative spirit and purity symbolized by this regal and agile mythical creature, soaring to new heights of quality and innovation with each product it introduces to the market.

ASUS pursues technological and aesthetic perfection through continuous innovation. We place ourselves in our customers’ shoes to develop a deep understanding of, and genuine empathy for, their needs—enabling us to create user experiences that transcend the norm.

ASUS Design Philosophy

ASUS Design develops high-quality solutions our customers will enjoy.
Our design process is built on thorough research, early anticipation and well-planned execution.

We act with a global vision and a focus on local strengths, conditions and heritage.

Now let\'s go check out the card.