Powercolor overclocks HD 4870 PCS+ Too High
 

In order to determine the issue only happens on our sample or not, we also borrowed two other retail version Powercoloc HD 4870 PCS+, so we got one sample and two retail cards in testing lab. But without exception, once we start Furmark Test, all three platforms fail to stay longer than one minute. These three platforms are using Foxconn A79AS (AMD 790FX), Foxconn MARS (Intel P35) and Asus Maximum Extreme (Intel X38).

What’s more, we replace one of the PCS+ cooler with Thermalright T-Rad2. If you have read our T-Rad2 review you know the cooler not only can handle GPU heat, but can help cooling down VRM part as well. But even we changed cooler to T-Tad2, 4870 PCS+ still can not ran Furmark stable with factory clock. Before it hangs we are able to record that core temperature is only at 60℃. In response, Powercolor representative stats it is “software compatibility issues”.

So in a further guess, we think the factory clock is way too high, high enough to hang while running Furmark. So here we start a down clock test. Finally we can get three platform stabilized through 15 minutes in Furmark, all three 4870 PCS+ frequency is around 680-690MHz (core), 880 MHz-890MHz (memory), core temperature 76 ℃.

http://en.expreview.com/2008/08/23/p...-issues-check/