Final Thoughts

While the green strobe light is set to high, we do see flickers of red between those flashes. ATI isn't dead. Do they have the fastest graphics cards on the market? - No. Do they offer some excellent value for money products, though? - Yes! Speed isn't everything and not everyone can afford cards that are upwards of $400+.

HIS has done a good job with the HD 4870 today. They've used a method that we've seen for ages from them. Strap on a mean aftermarket cooler, overclock the card and make the bundle a bit more exciting. This is what we call a win win win situation.

What we ultimately want to say is that you shouldn't write the HD 4870 off yet. Aggressive price drops and companies like HIS putting a lot of effort into the card mean that we're continuing to see some fresh designs that have their place in the market.

HIS has done a good job with the IceQ4+ TURBO model and if you're looking for a HD 4870 that packs a bit more punch than the standard model, it's a very good choice. If you're also willing to spend a few more dollars when compared to the 9800 GTX+ then it's also a very good choice with it performing better most of the time.