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MSI launches a custom Radeon HD 4870 with a big ol' fan

by Parm Mann on 3 February 2009, 11:53

Tags: MSI

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MSI has today added to the long list of customised Radeon HD 4870 graphics cards with the launch of its R4870-MD1G and R4870-MD512.

Featuring 1GB or 512MB of GDDR5 memory, respectively, the card's key feature is its extra-large 9cm fan. Combined with a copper-base heatsink and dual heatpipe design, the slightly larger-than-usual fan promises improved air flow, better heat dissipation and lower noise, too.

Despite the fact that the 9cm fan tops out at 2,800rpm, MSI claims its larger size creates an airflow of 56CFM resulting in a drop in temperature of up to 20°C .

Adding to the card's all-round usefulness are a trio of outputs - DVI, VGA and HDMI.

Supposedly better-than-reference cooling, decent looking and many of the right connectivity options. We'd have preferred DisplayPort over VGA, but if the price is right, it looks a decent option for those taking the Radeon HD 4870 route.

Official press release: MSI unveils 9cm fan on R4870-MD1G and R4870-MD512



HEXUS Forums :: 10 Comments

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Posted by aidanjt - Tue 03 Feb 2009 12:08
Nice card, but VGA out?.. What was MSI thinking?
Posted by chuckskull - Tue 03 Feb 2009 12:38
Why go to effort of putting a VGA output when they could just throw a &#163;2 DVI<>VGA converter in the box, like everyone else?

I could understand on a card aimed at another audience, but this is a high end card with what is basically an aftermarket cooler pre-applied. If it was AGP or aimed a lower market segment I might understand but it seems like a waste of time. The only reason I can think of is that 2DVI's and a HDMI wouldn't fit, but that just comes back to the &#163;2 converter argument.
Posted by scaryjim - Tue 03 Feb 2009 12:42
aidanjt
Nice card, but VGA out?.. What was MSI thinking?
Probably the same as the 4 or 5 other companies who also sell 4-series cards with VGA-out - that there are people who still use old CRT monitors or who are operating on a tighter budget and opt to go for a monitor that doesn't have DVI, but who also don't want lots of big heavy dongles sticking out of their computer.

Although, to be fair, it makes more sense in the low midrange cards that are likely to be used as upgrades from IGPs or put into HTPCs than in a higher-end gaming card like a 4870…
Posted by Webby - Tue 03 Feb 2009 15:31
The reason they included a VGA (I imagine) is because you can not convert HDMI to DSub so if you were running a duel monitor setup of which one monitor was DVI the other D-Sub then you would need to have a dongle to convert the HDMI to DVI-D and then another to convert the DVI-I port to DSUB which would be quite messy. What they have actually done is removed the 9pin Din port which could have been used for input or s-video output, though I guess not many people still use that.
Posted by kalniel - Tue 03 Feb 2009 15:50
Do they still provide a DDC signal over the VGA out though?.. that would be very handy.

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