Asus EAH3850X2/HTDI/1G

If you want the single fastest ATI graphics card this side of Asus’ own EAH3870 X2, the EAH3850 X2 we are looking at today is the way to go. This card has lots of performance at a good price and looks pretty cool too.

Honestly I am simply amazed by the level of performance that the ASUS Radeon HD 3850 X2 delivers, although it was to be expected given we already know how fast Crossfire Radeon HD 3850 graphics cards are. Still, at roughly $340 US the Radeon HD 3850 X2 stacks up against the GeForce 9800 GTX very well, as we found it to be considerably faster in a number of games. It is cheaper to just buy two Radeon HD 3850 graphics cards and place them in Crossfire mode. However unless you have a dual PCI Express 16x motherboard, this configuration will be slower than the ASUS Radeon HD 3850 X2. Therefore, while the ASUS Radeon HD 3850 X2 is more expensive, it is also a great deal more convenient. Furthermore it can also provide existing Radeon HD 3870 and 3850 owners with a powerful upgrade solution when combining the Radeon HD 3850 X2 with either graphics card using CrossfireX. Also keep in mind that although the ASUS GeForce 9800 GTX is currently retailing for around $340 US, there are a number of versions that are priced just under $300 US. This means that in order for the ASUS Radeon HD 3850 X2 to become a hot seller, it will need to drop closer to $300 US.

Selling for around $350 -- and even less, such as this current deal going for $319 -- puts the EAH3850X2 in a very competive position against all the high-end NVIDIA offerings: the 9800GX2, the 9800GTX, and the 8800GTS 512MB. From the cards that have come through the Neoseeker labs, this is currently the best bet for over $300 that we have reviewed for a while now. The bundle has everything you need, the performance is right where you want it, the cooler is competent and the Asus software works. In my books, all these things make the EAH3850X2 a winner.

The ASUS Radeon HD 3850 X2 1GB turned out to be a surprisingly competent graphics card that augments the gaping hole between the HD 3870 X2 and the HD 3870 in the product stack. ASUS is the only card vendor currently selling this product design and its likely they will remain so as the life span of the RV670 creeps along. But with the aggressive pricing ASUS has put on the product (that hopefully becomes MORE aggressive) the 9800 GTX from NVIDIA has a new, and very competent, competitor.

Overall, the Asus EAH3850 X2 would be an excellent upgrade from a single Radeon HD3850, GeForce 9800GT, or any earlier midgrade video card. Looking at the numbers it outperforms the 8800GT, and is just below the performance level of the 8800GTS. Both are still around, though the GTS is getting harder to find, and prices on both range from just under $200 to just over $300. I also couldn't compare it to a Radeon HD 3870, but that card performs just below the 8800GT. The factory overclocked 9800GTX definitely outperformed the 3850 X2, and it is safe to assume that the stock 9800GTX would too, but to a lesser extent. An Asus 9800GTX runs $340, exactly the same as the EAH3850 X2. The EAH9800GTX Top isn't on the market in the US yet, but it likely will cost a little under $400.