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[david_ffm]

Hi everyone,

can anyone recommend a graphics card for ATI Stream computing for a beginner?

I would like to develop and port some scientific applications to use the parallel computing power of a GPU.

My first inclination is toward something like an HD 4850 since it provides maximum processors (800) for minimum money (from EUR80). But perhaps I am overlooking some important issues here like maybe IEEE double precision support or other things.

To start with I am interested in simulation software, monte carlo, binomial trees, fluid dynamics, but have many other areas of interest.

Many thanks,

David

[riza_guntur]

HD4850 2GB,HD4870 2GB,HD4890 2GB... That's if you have money.

HD48xx really fast, and crunching memory even faster. Even processing 512MB is a piece of cake, so... I come into that conclusion.

[Ceq]

I think both Radeon 4850 1 GB (about 110 Eur) and Radeon 4870 1 GB (about 140 Eur) are really good cards. Many applications are memory bandwidth limited so the second is my current recomendation.

However, it's rumored that around 22 September AMD launches Radeon 58xx series, twice as powerful as the current generation and with full DX11 support. (Note that initial price could be about 250 Eur).

source: http://www.techpowerup.com/102342/Radeon_HD_5870_Aggressively_Priced_Report.html

[riza_guntur]

Originally posted by: Ceq I think both Radeon 4850 1 GB (about 110 Eur) and Radeon 4870 1 GB (about 140 Eur) are really good cards. Many applications are memory bandwidth limited so the second is my current recomendation.

However, it's rumored that around 22 September AMD launches Radeon 58xx series, twice as powerful as the current generation and with full DX11 support. (Note that initial price could be about 250 Eur).

source: http://www.techpowerup.com/102342/Radeon_HD_5870_Aggressively_Priced_Report.html

Wow! That's awesome

I hope it has 4GB RAM since I need 4GB so much

I mean awesome for HD58xx series

[Russian]

Originally posted by: david_ffm Hi everyone,

can anyone recommend a graphics card for ATI Stream computing for a beginner? I would like to develop and port some scientific applications to use the parallel computing power of a GPU.

IHMO, most important is a core of GPU. HD 4850 uses the same core as HD 4870 - R770. Difference are not so important.

Because, if your application will run, but not so fast, you will be able to bay more powerful GPU but for application that is already running. It could happens, that after few weeks you will finde that it is make noo scence to use GPU at all. 🙂

Unfortunately ATI has no GPU with R770 and small amount of SIMD and low price (for beginers).

[MicahVillmow]

If you want a graphics card that is good for beginners but not as expensive as the R770 based cards, you should check out the R740(HD4750) based graphics cards. A review can be found here:
http://www.guru3d.com/article/...-review-preview-test/

It is almost equal to HD4850 in GFlops performance, but comes in at lower power and has GDDR5 memory where the 4850 has GDDR3.