XFX Radeon HD 5770 Video Card Review

[nextpage title=”How We Tested”]

During our benchmarking sessions, we used the configuration listed below. Between our benchmarking sessions the only variable was the video card being tested.

Hardware Configuration

• CPU: Core i7 Extreme 965 (3.2 GHz, 8 MB L2 memory cache).
• Motherboard: ASUS P6T Deluxe OC Palm Edition (1611 BIOS)
• Memories: 3x 1 GB Qimonda IMSH1GU03A1F1C-10F memory modules (DDR3-1066/PC3-8500, CL7)
• Hard disk drive: Western Digital VelociRaptor WD3000GLFS (300 GB, SATA-300, 10,000 rpm, 16 MB cache)
• Video monitor: Samsung SyncMaster 305T (30” LCD, 2560×1600)
• Power supply required: Topower PowerBird 900 W
• CPU Cooler: Intel stock
• Optical Drive: LG GSA-H54N

Software Configuration

• Windows Vista Ultimate 32-bit
• Service Pack 2
• Video resolution: 2560×1600 @ 60 Hz

Driver Versions

• Intel Inf driver version: 9.1.1.1020
• AMD/ATI video driver version: 8.660.0.0
• NVIDIA video driver version: 190.62 (8.16.11.9062)

Software Used

• 3DMark Vantage Professional 1.0.1
• Call of Duty 4 – Patch 1.7
• Crysis Warhead – Patch 1.1 + HOC Bench Crysis Warhead Benchmark Tool 1.1.1
• Fallout 3 – Patch 1.7
• Far Cry 2 – Patch 1.3
• Unigine Tropics 1.2

Error Margin

We adopted a 3% error margin; thus, differences below 3% cannot be considered relevant. In other words, products with a performance difference below 3% should be considered as having similar performance.

[nextpage title=”3DMark Vantage Professional”]

3DMark Vantage measures Shader 4.0 (i.e., DirectX 10) performance and supports PhysX, a programming interface developed by Ageia (now part of NVIDIA) to transfer physics calculations from the system CPU to the video card GPU in order to increase performance. Mechanical physics is the basis for calculations about the interaction of objects. For example, if you shoot, what exactly will happen to the object when the bullet hits it? Will it break? Will it move? Will the bullet bounce back? Note that since we are considering only the GPU score provided by this program, physics calculations are not taken into account.

We ran this program at three 16:10 widescreen resolutions, 1680×1050, 1920×1200, and 2560×1600. First we used the “Performance” profile, and then we used the “Extreme” profile (basically enabling anti-aliasing at 4x, anisotropic filtering at 16x, and putting all detail settings at their maximum or “extreme” values). The results being compared are the “GPU Scores” achieved by each video card.

Radeon HD 4850 and Radeon HD 4870 didn’t produce a reliable score for the “Extreme” profile under 2560×1600, so these particular results should not be considered.

[nextpage title=”Call of Duty 4″]

Call of Duty 4 is a DirectX 9 game implementing high-dynamic range (HDR) and its own physics engine, which is used to calculate how objects interact. For example, if you shoot, what exactly will hapen to the object when the bullet hits it? Will it break? Will it move? Will the bullet bounce back? It gives a more realistic experience to the user.

We ran this program at three 16:10 widescreen resolutions, 1680×1050, 1920×1200, and 2560×1600, maxing out all image quality controls (i.e., everything was put on the maximum values on the Graphics and Texture menus). We used the game internal benchmarking feature, running a demo provided by NVIDIA called “wetwork.” We are putting this demo for downloading here if you want to run your own benchmarks. The game was updated to version 1.6. The results below are the average number of frames per second (FPS) achieved by each card.

[nextpage title=”Crysis Warhead”]

Crysis Warhead is a DirectX 10 game based on the same engine as the original Crysis, but optimized (it runs under DirectX 9.0c when installed on Windows XP). We ran this program at three 16:10 widescreen resolutions, 1680×1050, 1920×1200, and 2560×1600, maximizing image quality (16x anti-aliasing, 16x anisotropic filtering) and using the Airfield demo. The results below are the number of frames per second achieved by each video card.

[nextpage title=”Fallout 3″]

Fallout 3 is based on the same engine used by The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, and it is a DirectX 9.0c (Shader 3.0) game. We configured the game with “ultra” image quality settings, maxing out all image quality settings, at three 16:10 widescreen resolutions, 1680×1050, 1920×1200, and 2560×1600. To measure performance, we used the FRAPS utility running an outdoor scene at God mode, running through enemy fire, triggering post processing effects, and ending with a big explosion in front of Dupont Circle.

[nextpage title=”Far Cry 2″]

Far Cry 2 is based on an entirely new game engine called Dunia, which is DirectX 10 when played under Windows Vista with a DirectX 10-compatible video card. We used the benchmarking utility that comes with this game, setting image quality to the maximum allowed and running the “Ranch Long” demo three times. The results below are expressed in frames per second and are an arithmetic average of the three results collected.

Radeon HD 4850 and Radeon HD 4870 could not run Far Cry 2 at 2500×1600 with all image quality settings maxed out.

[nextpage title=”Unigine Tropics”]

Unigine is a 3D engine used by some games and simulations. The developer provides two demos for this engine, Tropics and Sanctuary. We ran the Tropics benchmarking module under DirectX 9 mode at full screen with image quality settings maxed out. The results below are the number of frames per second achieved by each video card.

[nextpage title=”Conclusions”]

During our tests Radeon HD 5770 showed to be between 7% and 31% than its “economy” version, Radeon HD 5750, depending on the resolution, game and image quality settings.

Radeon HD 5770 was also faster than Radeon HD 4870 on scenarios that high-performance is needed, especially on Crysis Warhead (30% – 48% faster) and Far Cry 2 (144% – 172% faster) with image quality settings maxed out. On other scenarios both cards achieved the same performance level or Radeon HD 4870 was a tiny bit faster (up to 6%).

When Radeon HD 4870 was originally released it cost USD 300, making the new Radeon HD 5770 to be comparatively a real bargain at USD 170.

The problem is that its main competitor, GeForce GTX 260/216, left Radeon HD 5770 eating dust. Only on Unigine Tropics Radeon HD 5770 was faster than GeForce GTX 260/216, on all other games and simulations GeForce GTX 260/216 was faster, especially if you like to crank up image quality settings (the only exception was at Fallout 3 at 1680×1050 with image quality settings maxed out, where both cards achieved the same performance level).

Therefore we can’t recommend Radeon HD 5770 – unless, of course, you are looking for a DirectX 11-ready card with one DisplayPort output. If you are looking for a mid-range video card with a good cost/benefit ratio, GeForce GTX 260/216 continues to be our pick.