CPU3D.com

As expected the performance of the Gigabyte GV-R487X2-2GH-B is nothing short of excellent. It's on par with the Sapphire HD 4870x2 and not far behind Asus's EAH4870x2 TOP, which is an overclocked version. We can expect similar results from most Radeon HD 4870x2 graphic cards as they are mostly based on ATI's reference design/boards. It basically boils down to the price and brand that you go for. Some, like the Asus EAH4870x2 TOP features overclocked GPUs, while others might offer after-market 3rd party cooling.

The Gigabyte GV-R487X2-2GH-B may not be the choice of every hardcore enthusiast gamer, but if it's brand loyalty you treasure most ... the Gigabyte's verison is just as good as any Radeon HD 4870x2 out there.

The packaging and contents are what you'll expected from a Gigabyte VGA product. It's well packaged and comes all the necessary cables, connectors and driver CD. The Radeon HD 4870x2 is a very large graphics card, so make sure chassis has enough room. What's more the power requirements are pretty heavy too. You'll need a least a 700W PSU that as both a 6-pin and 8-pin PCIe power connectors.

We didn't overclock the Gigabyte GV-R487X2-2GH-B as we thought the card was fast enough as it is ;) But if you really want to ... I suggest you might want to look into some extra cooling, and possibly install a 3rd party cooler. Even at default settings, the card can get extremely hot ... reaching in excess of 80 degrees Celsius.

The price of the Gigabyte GV-R487X2-2GH-B is probably one of its most attractive advantages. Costing around £370 ($700) it's cheaper than most Radeon HD 4870x2 cards out there. It's still an expensive investment and only the enthusiast with deep pockets can afford it ... it's not your every day purchase. But having said, it's a very good gaming card with a great brand name to match.

Final words. Enthusiasts can't ignore that fact that the Gigabyte GV-R487X2-2GH-B is not to be dismissed. The performance that it offers is as good as any Radeon HD 4870x2, while the price and the well established brand name ... makes it a serious choice worth considering.

Pros:
 - ATI's powerful Radeon HD 4870x2
 - Excellent performance
 - A massive 2Gb of GDDR5 ram
 - Latest technology 55nm technology
 - 2x800 Processor Streams
 - HDMI, HDCP, CrossfireX ready
 - Supports DX10.1
 - Cheaper than other HD 4870x2 cards on the market

Cons:
 - GPU core temps are a little high
 - No different from other Radeon HD 4870x2 

 We've given the Gigabyte GV-R487X2-2GH-B  our CPU3D "Highly Recommended"  award.

OVERALL SCORE
9/10