Conclusion:
In terms of single GPU performance, the Radeon HD4870 set the bar pretty high, and the
Sapphire Toxic Radeon HD4870 512MB graphics card had its work cut out for it to do much better. With a factory overclock of 30MHz on the GPU and 100MHz on the memory, the Toxic version generally did perform better, but not always by much. Considering that the GPU is only running 4% faster than the reference design, you really can't expect an incredible performance boost.
The one area that the Toxic Radeon HD4870 really shines is in cooling performance. Running twenty to thirty degrees cooler than the stock speed HD4870 is quite an accomplishment, made even more enjoyable because the cooler gives the card an aggressive appearance that is really unique. The only downside to this great cooling is that the fan does get rather loud during normal usage. The noise never surged to the levels that the stock HD4870 can hit on occasion, but on average the noise is much more noticeable on the Toxic version. If you are willing to let the GPU get a little warmer, Sapphire does have a BIOS update available that slows the fan speed down to reduce noise.
At this time I can not find the Toxic Radeon HD4870 512MB graphics card available at any of the stores I usually check, but I would imagine the price tag will be somewhere in the $300 range. Considering that
Newegg.com sells the stock speed Sapphire Radeon HD4870 for about $280, $300 seems like a conservative estimate for such a card.
Considering the excellent performance of the card and its cooler, the
Sapphire Toxic Radeon HD4870 512MB graphics card earns the Bigbruin.com awards of "Gaming Approved" and "Recommended". The only thing holding it back from top honors is that in many cases it performed marginally better than the stock HD4870, but you can expect to pay a premium price when they become readily available.
Pros:
» Factory overclocked GPU and memory
» Strong performance in games and benchmarks
» GPU temperatures are always reasonable
» Bulk of heat is exhausted out the back of the case
» Respectable bundle of accessories
» Capable of high resolution gaming with high settings enabled
» Can be configured in CrossFire X with 3 other cards for an insane experience
Cons:
» Fan gets loud (but a BIOS update can manage that while letting the GPU get a little warmer)
» Doesn't always outperform a stock HD4870
» Not particularly energy efficient, at idle or under a load
Special thanks to
Sapphire for providing the Sapphire Toxic Radeon HD4870 512MB Graphics Card to Bigbruin.com for review!
