XFX Radeon HD 4850 XXX 512MB video card review

Ever since I took over the reins here at Elite Bastards a few years ago, occasionally a rumour drops into my lap regarding a previously NVIDIA-only AIB partner signing up to release ATI graphics boards as well - Indeed, if I had a penny for every time I'd been informed that AIB partner insert name here was a done deal and about to announce a partnership with ATI, then.... well, I'd have several pence by now.

So, when the stories regarding XFX becoming an ATI partner started to surface, I swallowed my obvious excitement and remained healthily skeptical.  Only this time the rumours were true, and not long after one of our favourite NVIDIA board manufacturers was also a producer of ATI graphics offerings - Cue the consumption of alcohol in celebration (because any excuse will do).

In the past week I've had a veritable cornucopia of XFX samples arrive on our doorstep, with many of them featuring ATI logos prominently.  With such an array of treasures to choose from, it was difficult to know where to start for our first review, but here I am having plumped for XFX's custom cooled, custom clocked Radeon HD 4850 board, which sports the same XXX moniker that we've become so familiar with on the company's NVIDIA parts.

The XXX branding has almost always been a sign of top-notch performance in the past, so is this going to be the case now that XFX have entered the brave new world of the RV770 architecture?  Let's get going and find out.