Test System Setup

Processor(s): Intel i7 920 @ 3.8GHz (190MHz x 20)

Cooling: Noctua NH-U12P (Supplied by Noctua)

Motherboard(s): GIGABYTE EX58-UD5 (Supplied by GIGABYTE)

Memory: 3 X 2GB OCZ Technology PC-12800 DDR-3 8-8-8-24 (OCZ3G1600LV6GK)

Hard Disk(s): Western Digital 300GB Velicorapter (Supplied by Western Digital)

Operating System:Windows Vista SP1 64-Bit

Drivers: Catalyst 9.3 and Catalyst 9.4

With the release of the HD 4890 we've removed the HD 4870 and put the new model in its place. If the rumors of the HD 4890 X2 coming to market are true, we will move the HD 4870 X2 over to this model once it arrives as well.

Let's not delay any longer and get stuck into the benchmarks to see what exactly is going on in the new 9.4 driver suite.

3DMark Vantage

Version and / or Patch Used: 1.0.1

Developer Homepage: http://www.futuremark.com

Product Homepage: http://www.futuremark.com/products/3dmarkvantage/

Buy It Here

3DMark Vantage is the new industry standard PC gaming performance benchmark from Futuremark, newly designed for Windows Vista and DirectX10. It includes two new graphics tests, two new CPU tests, several new feature tests, and support for the latest hardware.

3DMark Vantage is based on a completely new rendering engine, developed specifically to take full advantage of DirectX10, the new graphics API from Microsoft.

HD 4850: At both presets we see a little performance increase.

HD 4870 X2: Here we see no real change.

HD 4890: Here we see no real change.