ASUS EAH4850

I am awaiting delivery of this ASUS EAH4850
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814121325

I haven't bought a video card for a while and have a few elementary
questions regarding the features of the card:



1) Can the 2 DVI ports be used for two monitors, or is it just for monitors
that require 2 DVI connection (DVI Link?)

2) What would I use the TV out for? (HDTV / S-Video / Composite Out)

HDMI? (Via adapter).


I know this card will easily handle my business and CS3 usage, but I also
may do a little gaming with it.

Any comments (good or bad) to say regarding this card or chipset?


Thanks,
Mikel

1) I've never tried it personally, but the two DVI ports can drive two
monitors.

Dual link DVI (for high-res monitors) isn't two DVI connections: it requires
a single DVI interface of the correct type.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital...face#Connector

Both of the connectors on your card appear to be dual link, so (in
principle), you could connect two 30" monitors (each 2560 X 1600 pixels).

2) I dunno. Do you have any analog TVs that can use S-Video? HDMI is
preferable for current digital TVs.

I haven't used a 4850, but rather a 4870 (same, but with DDR5 video RAM).
They are good cards, particularly at their current price points.

I trust that you have a PCI-Express mainboard that'll take the card. (PCI
and PCI-E are entirely different.) It also needs a single 6 pin PCI-E
auxiliary power connector to drive the card, but it comes with an adapter to
take two Molex connectors into one PCI-E.

"Mikel Sunova" <> wrote in message
news:TtVsm.72536$...
> I am awaiting delivery of this ASUS EAH4850
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814121325
>
> I haven't bought a video card for a while and have a few elementary
> questions regarding the features of the card:
>
>
>
> 1) Can the 2 DVI ports be used for two monitors, or is it just for
> monitors that require 2 DVI connection (DVI Link?)
>
> 2) What would I use the TV out for? (HDTV / S-Video / Composite Out)
>
> HDMI? (Via adapter).
>
>
> I know this card will easily handle my business and CS3 usage, but I also
> may do a little gaming with it.
>
> Any comments (good or bad) to say regarding this card or chipset?
>
>
> Thanks,
> Mikel

"Bob Knowlden" <> wrote in message
news:h91ei4$3ao$...
> 2) I dunno. Do you have any analog TVs that can use S-Video? HDMI is
> preferable for current digital TVs.

Hi Bob,
Thanks for the response. This card does support HDMI aand composite via
adapters (s-video>Composite and DVI>HDMI), but what I was really wondering
is just what would I output to the TV? Games, Movies? I doubt I'll need this
feature, but would not want to miss a feature I could use.

> I haven't used a 4850, but rather a 4870 (same, but with DDR5 video RAM).
> They are good cards, particularly at their current price points.

I looked at those, but wanted to maintain a balance, as I'm not a hardcore
gamer, but may play a game here and there and wanted the capability.

> I trust that you have a PCI-Express mainboard that'll take the card. (PCI
> and PCI-E are entirely different.) It also needs a single 6 pin PCI-E
> auxiliary power connector to drive the card, but it comes with an adapter
> to take two Molex connectors into one PCI-E.

Yes, I have all of that covered. I'm fairly tech-savvy, just not up on the
latest video card features. I'm replacing an ATI AIW XL1800, which is the
last card I've bought. ANd my PSU does have 6 pin PCI-E connectors.

Also, one other question that I had hoped to ask in response to my OP, but
that has yet to surface (fortunately, my server did download your response):

This is my 1st Asus video card. If you know, is there any reason *not* to
load the Asus software? With the 1800XL, when ATI stopped supporting the TV
software, I've generally just loaded the ATI driver (minus CCC) and have
been fine with that because a lot of the mfr software is buggy or silly. I'm
wondering if the general consensus on Asus software is good, bad or
indifferent? My tendency would be to install ATI 9.9 (display driver only),
but would I be missing out by avoiding the Asus software?

Thanks again,
Mikel

Relevant Specs:
Win7 64 bit RTM
GA-EP45-UD3R
8GB Gskill
Q9550



> "Mikel Sunova" <> wrote in message
> news:TtVsm.72536$...
>> I am awaiting delivery of this ASUS EAH4850
>> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814121325
>>
>> I haven't bought a video card for a while and have a few elementary
>> questions regarding the features of the card:
>>
>>
>>
>> 1) Can the 2 DVI ports be used for two monitors, or is it just for
>> monitors that require 2 DVI connection (DVI Link?)
>>
>> 2) What would I use the TV out for? (HDTV / S-Video / Composite Out)
>>
>> HDMI? (Via adapter).
>>
>>
>> I know this card will easily handle my business and CS3 usage, but I also
>> may do a little gaming with it.
>>
>> Any comments (good or bad) to say regarding this card or chipset?
>>
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Mikel
>

ALso, there seems to be an issue with these boards running hot. Anyone?

Mikel

Mikel Sunova wrote:
> ALso, there seems to be an issue with these boards running hot. Anyone?

Yes, the original Asus 4850 with single-slot heatsink fan is really hot.

Is your Asus 4850 of a newer design with dual-slot heatsink fan?
You might want to tell us the temperature you are getting!

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http://www.swd.gov.hk/tc/index/site_...sub_addressesa

"Man-wai Chang to The Door (+MS=32B)" <> wrote:
>Mikel Sunova wrote:
>> ALso, there seems to be an issue with these boards running hot. Anyone?
>
>Yes, the original Asus 4850 with single-slot heatsink fan is really hot.
>
>Is your Asus 4850 of a newer design with dual-slot heatsink fan?
>You might want to tell us the temperature you are getting!

I got Asus HD4850, it has Asus's own "Glaciator"-cooler. It is quite
loud at default 50% fanspeed, but i noticed that fan-noise is reasonable
level at 24% setting and still card stays at 57 degrees celsius at idle
and 88 degrees celsius at heavy load (with milkyway@home)
--
----------------------------------
Matti Wartiainen.
Kouvola.Suomi.Finland.
-----------------------------------

"Man-wai Chang to The Door (+MS=32B)" <> wrote in
message news:h926o2$2pi$...
> Mikel Sunova wrote:
>> ALso, there seems to be an issue with these boards running hot. Anyone?
>
> Yes, the original Asus 4850 with single-slot heatsink fan is really hot.
>
> Is your Asus 4850 of a newer design with dual-slot heatsink fan?

I think it probably is, at least it looks like it is in the picture here (I
have not yet received delivery of the card):

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814121325


Thanks,
Mikel

"Matti Wartiainen" <> wrote in message
news:4ab4a85c$0$6270$...
> "Man-wai Chang to The Door (+MS=32B)" <> wrote:
>>Mikel Sunova wrote:
>>> ALso, there seems to be an issue with these boards running hot. Anyone?
>>
>>Yes, the original Asus 4850 with single-slot heatsink fan is really hot.
>>
>>Is your Asus 4850 of a newer design with dual-slot heatsink fan?
>>You might want to tell us the temperature you are getting!
>

> I got Asus HD4850, it has Asus's own "Glaciator"-cooler. It is quite
> loud at default 50% fanspeed, but i noticed that fan-noise is reasonable
> level at 24% setting and still card stays at 57 degrees celsius at idle
> and 88 degrees celsius at heavy load (with milkyway@home)

Hi Matti,
Yes, the card I ordered has the Glaciator cooler, so perhaps the heat issues
I've read about are corrected. Are you controlling the fan speed via Asus
software? If so, what is your opinion of the software provided with the
card?

Thanks,
Mikel

"Mikel Sunova" <> wrote:
>
>"Matti Wartiainen" <> wrote in message
>news:4ab4a85c$0$6270$...

>
>> I got Asus HD4850, it has Asus's own "Glaciator"-cooler. It is quite
>> loud at default 50% fanspeed, but i noticed that fan-noise is reasonable
>> level at 24% setting and still card stays at 57 degrees celsius at idle
>> and 88 degrees celsius at heavy load (with milkyway@home)
>
>Hi Matti,
>Yes, the card I ordered has the Glaciator cooler, so perhaps the heat issues
>I've read about are corrected. Are you controlling the fan speed via Asus
>software? If so, what is your opinion of the software provided with the
>card?
>

Yes, I'm using Asus SmartDoctor, working fine. I do not use any other
software that came with the card so can't comment on them.
--
----------------------------------
Matti Wartiainen.
Kouvola.Suomi.Finland.
-----------------------------------

Comments interspaced.

"Mikel Sunova" <> wrote in message
news:0uXsm.162075$...
>
(snip)
> Hi Bob,
> Thanks for the response. This card does support HDMI aand composite via
> adapters (s-video>Composite and DVI>HDMI), but what I was really wondering
> is just what would I output to the TV? Games, Movies? I doubt I'll need
> this feature, but would not want to miss a feature I could use.
>

I've never used TV outputs on any of the graphics cards I've had in the past
14 years.


>> I haven't used a 4850, but rather a 4870 (same, but with DDR5 video RAM).
>> They are good cards, particularly at their current price points.
>
> I looked at those, but wanted to maintain a balance, as I'm not a hardcore
> gamer, but may play a game here and there and wanted the capability.
>

I regard both the 4850 and 4870 as good deals. I'd probably buy the 4870
today, just because it's not much more expensive than the 4850, but the 4850
is fine.

>> I trust that you have a PCI-Express mainboard that'll take the card. (PCI
>> and PCI-E are entirely different.) It also needs a single 6 pin PCI-E
>> auxiliary power connector to drive the card, but it comes with an adapter
>> to take two Molex connectors into one PCI-E.
>
> Yes, I have all of that covered. I'm fairly tech-savvy, just not up on the
> latest video card features. I'm replacing an ATI AIW XL1800, which is the
> last card I've bought. ANd my PSU does have 6 pin PCI-E connectors.
>
> Also, one other question that I had hoped to ask in response to my OP, but
> that has yet to surface (fortunately, my server did download your
> response):
>
> This is my 1st Asus video card. If you know, is there any reason *not* to
> load the Asus software? With the 1800XL, when ATI stopped supporting the
> TV software, I've generally just loaded the ATI driver (minus CCC) and
> have been fine with that because a lot of the mfr software is buggy or
> silly. I'm wondering if the general consensus on Asus software is good,
> bad or indifferent? My tendency would be to install ATI 9.9 (display
> driver only), but would I be missing out by avoiding the Asus software?

Don't know, I haven't had an Asus card. In the motherboard realm, I tend not
to install most of their utility/overclocking software. Strikes me as an
attempt to create the illusion of added value.

>
> Thanks again,
> Mikel
>
> Relevant Specs:
> Win7 64 bit RTM
> GA-EP45-UD3R
> 8GB Gskill
> Q9550
>
(snip)