[1saintly]

http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=848058

http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/...Name=GV-RX3875

And

http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=748213

http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/...ProductID=2735

Keep checking and cross checking, the scan website doesn't quite give all the correct details so double checked with gigabyte website, but at risk of looking daft still cant see £40 ish difference, so long as it does hdmi and has hdcp it will do me!

[CP-PC]

im not sure.... as far as i can see scan lists some specs for hte cards but not all.
and even the gigabyte webite does not list some of the specs.
the core speed and ram speed are not listed on gigabyte's website for one of the cards and scan has the speeds listed as different to gigabyte's its all abit confusing trying to compare these two cards. but the cheaper card should do you as they are both listed as being able to do HDMI and HDCP.

[un1eash]

They seem to be the same card, could the 'P' refer to a model thats sold outside the EU??

[CP-PC]

thats the only difference i can see one is HP the other is H. but even the gigabyte website does not list ALL of the specs. and even some of the basic specs are missing on one of the cards like core speed and memory speed.

its a pretty poor show when even the manufactures own website doesnt list ALL the CORRECT specs..... how are us poor consumers ment to know what to buy or do a fair comparison??

[1saintly]

ok, thanks for that, thought i was going mad there for a minute! been driving me mad for a few days now, seems like the £80 is a bargain then, will keep googling see what turns up, and also see if anymore advice is offered on this site. Unless scan have the wrong model number, if that was the case im sure i could change\return it.

Have used gigabyte (and scan shop) products before and never had any problems, 'usualy have a good website but not this time'

[CP-PC]

yeah ive got a gigabyte mobo and there website has been brilliant with the info they provide. its possible that scan have got the wrong model number or that they have put the wrong price on one of the cards

[1saintly]

Originally Posted by CP-PC

yeah ive got a gigabyte mobo and there website has been brilliant with the info they provide. its possible that scan have got the wrong model number or that they have put the wrong price on one of the cards

same as, always used gigabyte boards, hoping its wrong price but didnt want jump in only to find out card rubbish! BUT will be at myself if price shoots up this weekend upgrading from nvidia 8400 so either will be a massive increase in performance

if scan have spec wrong on £80 sure i they will have it back, usualy nip into bolton shop as live near, so will no straight away

The 38 series cards will drop now, as the 4850, 4870 and 4870X2's are out. If you can afford it, go for the 4850 as these are double, if not greater in performance than the last gen and are excellent value for money if you compare to their nVidia counterparts.

[EndlessWaves]

Originally Posted by visPa

If you can afford it, go for the 4850 as these are double, if not greater in performance than the last gen

Nonsense, they're 50% faster at best: http://www.hexus.net/content/item.ph...=13972&page=10

Other places (play.com for example) show the HP version as using DDR4 and being much faster clocked, although scan seem to be charging over the odds, it's around £90-100 most places.

The 3870 at the moment is rather expensive, with the slightly slower 3850 at £55 and the faster 8800GT at the same £80-90 price.

[xSequentialx]

the 4850 is the card to get if u can stretch.

beats 8800gt and 3870x2 (2 x 3870)

decent reviews look here

http://enthusiast.hardocp.com/articl...50aHVzaWFzdA==

[1saintly]

Thanks for the info and links and replies.

As a Linux and Windows user i have been using nvidia as linux drivers have been better, but seems ATI have got there act together and linux drivers have improved. So as ATI cards seem to use the newer '55 chips?!' and nvidia are still using '65' even though the 8800gt was and still is a very good card, i would feel like im buying 'old' tech.

Ive got used to buying computer components and then having them be old and cheaper within a few months! so now just buy whats on offer that day and learn to live with it!

So for £80 that ati seems like a bargain, i appreciate that the 4850 is better but for my usage the price difference isn't worth it! Plus also got into the trap of for just another ££ this one is better, then you start to think may as well just go for next one in the range etc etc then budget goes up and end up with super computer that is underused for its capabilities, hope that makes sense

[xSequentialx]

the 3870 is last generation cards and is already out of date. the 8800gt is better than the 3850 and 3870 but the new generation 4850 is fair bit faster than 8800gt.

obviously its ur choice but for an extra £30 or so, ur getting a much better card as can see in that review single 4850 beats (2 x 3870)

[1saintly]

Originally Posted by FutureTech

the 3870 is last generation cards and is already out of date. the 8800gt is better than the 3850 and 3870 but the new generation 4850 is fair bit faster than 8800gt.

obviously its ur choice but for an extra £30 or so, ur getting a much better card as can see in that review single 4850 beats (2 x 3870)

OK Keep going and you will probably purswade me

its a minefield this graphics card stuff!
i realise 3870 is out of date but still thought it was newer than 8800gt re 65 and 55 chip thingy

Anyways as ive asked for advice, then you seem to be talking me into http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=827816 ive checked power supply, as its also new won't have any probs running it. Also just checked and linux as well as windows will run it. About time ati caught up!

Supose i would get more mileage out of it for when blueray hi def etc becomes more mainstream, (see prices are dropping on players) it would hopefully still be a decent card.

Still cant get my head round why this http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=827816
is cheaper than this http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=748213

but better, crazy world this graphics stuff thanks for you input.

[xSequentialx]

ati just went 55nm route earlier than nvidia but they were released similar time (think 3870 was month after 8800gt) but the 8800gt was still the superior card.

regarding price of 3870 being more than 4850 best guess would be

3850/4850 low end

3870/4870 med

3870x2/4870x2 high end

even when cards become out of date they will still need to be differentiated and the ppl who dont know much about gfx cards will look at price. generally higher price = better product (not always the case obviously). so the 3870 will need to be priced at a premium over the 3850 which sells for £80 (the 3850 has to be priced higher than prev gen cards etc.) many ppl probably wouldn’t know that the new low end 4850 is better than the previous generation med range and even high end range and so they will still sell a few even at that price.

Its ur choice just giving my opinion