On the example of ATI RADEON HD 5870 1024MB DDR5 (850/850/4800 MHz).

Features:

• GPU: RADEON HD 5870 (Cypress)
• 1024 MB GDDR5 SDRAM in 8 Samsung chips on the front side; 1250 (5000) MHz peak clock rate
• Interface: PCI-Express x16
• GPU (ROPs/Shaders) clock rate: 850/850 MHz (nominal)
• Memory clock rate, physical (effective): 1200 (4800) MHz (nominal)
• Bus width: 256-bit
• Vertex processors: -
• Pixel processors: -
• Unified processors: 1600
• Texture processors: 80 (BLF/TLF)
• ROPs: 32
• Size: 285x100x33 mm
• PCB color: black
• RAMDACs/TDMS: integrated into GPU
• Outputs: 2 x DVI (Dual-Link/HDMI), Display Port, HDMI
• VIVO: -
• Multi-GPU: Hardware CrossFire

The card looks like HD 4890, with the same 256-bit bus and 8 memory chips. However, outputs have changed a lot, because the card supports three receivers simultaneously and has 4 connectors (HDMI and Display Port cannot be used simultaneously). Also, the power supply unit has changed comparing to its predecessor due to the peculiarities of the new core and its power needs.

The PCB has grown from 260mm to 270mm. However, the cooler adds another 15mm to card's length, so even if your PC enclosure has space for a 270mm GeForce GTX 2xx or 4870 X2, the new card might still not fit. Also note card's thickness that requires that no outstanding parts are present behind the PCI-E x16 slot (and the adjacent PCI-E slot as well).

Graphics cards of this family are equipped with a built-in audio codec. So nothing else is required to transmit audio streams to HDMI (directly or via a DVI-to-HDMI adapter).

The card has two 6-pin power connectors.

This card requires a DVI-to-D-Sub adapter to be connected to an analog monitor with a D-Sub interface.

Maximum resolutions and frequencies:

• 240 Hz maximum refresh rate
• 2048 x 1536 x 32bit @ 85Hz Max - analog interface
• 2560 x 1600 @ 60Hz Max - digital interface (all Dual-Link DVIs)

The HDTV review is available here.

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