Conclusion:

The Sapphire Toxic 512MB Radeon HD3870 graphics card offers strong performance right out of the box, but if you have any interest in overclocking you can turn it into a real powerhouse. The 860MHz limit on the GPU clock does not apply to this card, and it was capable of running at 885MHz by just using the Overdrive tab in the Catalyst Control Center. The innovative Vapor-X cooler keeps the card compact and lightweight, but above all else it handles the heat extremely well.


There are really no negatives to discuss in terms of performance, quality, and overall appeal. The card performs well, it stays cool and quiet, and the bundle of accessories is generous. If there was one wishlist item that could make the bundle more attractive it might be to drop the voucher for "The Black Box" and replace it with a more modern title that takes advantage of DirectX 10. I generally don't shop for things like graphics cards based on accessories, but if it comes down to two comparable products and one happens to include something desirable as a bonus, it might just seal the deal.

A search of PriceGrabber finds the Sapphire Toxic 512MB Radeon HD3870 graphics card at just two retailers, but one happens to be Newegg.com so it doesn't really matter that availability seems to be limited. The price of $179.99 is rather competitive with other 512MB HD3870 cards, but if you have the patience for mail in rebates you can get the final price down to $159.99. That is definitely an attractive price for a card like this, and it makes an upgrade to a CrossFireX setup worth thinking about.

Considering the performance in games and benchmarks, the effectiveness of the Vapor-X cooler, and the competitive price, the Sapphire Toxic 512MB Radeon HD3870 graphics card earns the awards of "Highly Recommended" and "Gaming Approved".


Pros:

» Solid performance in games even with higher settings
» Overclocks well beyond the factory settings
» Vapor-X cooler design is extremely effective
» Single slot design is compact and lightweight
» Respectable bundle of accessories
» Well priced

Cons:

» Somewhat limited availability

Special thanks to Sapphire for providing the Sapphire Toxic 512MB Radeon HD3870 Graphics Card to Bigbruin.com for review!