XFX Radeon HD 4890 1GB Video Card Review

Conclusion

When it comes to performance, the XFX Radeon HD 4890 is very capable of playing any game out now even at high resolutions. As the highest performing single card in the ATI Radeon HD 4000 series arsenal, that is to be expected. What was very surprising was just how little difference there was between the Sapphire Radeon HD 4890 2GB and our XFX Radeon HD 4890 1GB. Clearly, the extra memory is not showing itself in our game tests, which leaves us thinking that while it may be important for some games, in most it doesn’t matter.

With the launch of the ATI Radeon HD 5870 and 5850, the GPU landscape changed quite drastically. The Radeon 5000 series comes packing DirectX11 heat, incredibly low idle power consumption, and great acoustics. In the case of the Radeon HD 5870, it also performs on a level no other single GPU card is able to compete with and carries a $379.99 price tag. With such a complete package it leaves even the Radeon 4890 with little room to compete. We are still looking for pricing to settle within ATI’s own lineup as currently the XFX Radeon HD 4890 is right around $195 shipped. While that price isn’t outrageous, you don’t get the benefits of the new architecture. Clearly then, the Radeon HD 5000 series is more desirable from a “future proof” standpoint, but if you can’t stretch your budget another $60 to snag a 5850, the XFX Radeon HD 4890 will still be able to handle the job. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide what you are looking for in a graphics card and see where that hits your budget.

One thing to keep in mind when trying to settle on a graphics card is the warranty, which is where XFX shines. They offer the “Double Lifetime Warranty.” This warranty covers you and the person that you might sell the card to against any defects or failures. All that is needed is to register the card when you get it. This actually adds a bit more value to the card over another brand in the event that you do decide to sell it.

All in all, the XFX Radeon HD 4890 is a solid card that can still provide an incredible gaming experience at a reasonable price. While it may not be the latest and greatest, it gets the job done for much less money.

Legit Bottom Line: While the XFX Radeon HD 4890 may no longer be the new kid on the block, it shows that for just $200 it still has plenty of performance for today’s games.