This time around we decided to check out Diamond's dual slot Radeon HD 3850 card with 512MB of GDDR3 memory, and this baby is no reference design. Diamond opted for 512MB of memory, and it'll definitely come in handy. However, it struck us as a bit odd that this card still runs at reference speeds, whereas Diamond claims on their website that this is an overclocked piece of hardware. We had a reading of 670MHz core and 1660MHz memory speed, which are reference speeds for the Radeon HD 3850. The Diamond Radeon HD 3850 packs a dual slot cooler capable of cooling the GPU that runs at greater speeds than these which are currently set for their Ruby edition. - FudZilla

Diamond Radeon HD 3850 512MB Ruby Board Review

The design of the card is slightly different that the reference one, and although the PCB wasn't moved, the rest of the components are. The GPU was pushed a bit to the right, whereas the voltage regulator is closer to Cthe rossFire connectors than the power connector. This won't affect the end user because your Radeon HD 3850 uses maximum 100W, and when in idle mode, PowerPlay will reduce your consumption depending on the GPU usage. The card is a dual slot design, but due to the cooler's design, the hot air will stay in the case. One big fan blows the air directly on the block that leans on the GPU.

The Radeon HD 3850 is a DirectX 10.1, Shader Model 4.1 and PCI Express 2.0 card, so it'll be a good investment for next generation of DirectX 10.1 games. The memory interface is 256-bit and the RV670 GPU brings HD video and/or audio support. You can directly connect your HDTV trough the HDMI adapter that comes bundled with the card, and there's no need for additional cabling mess because the same cable will carry the audio signal as well. Diamond did a good job with their dual slot Radeon HD 3850 with 512MB, and the dual slot cooler attempted to attract gamers and those who don't like the single slot version.

The card runs at reference clock, but Diamond's cooler will make overclocking easy. Actually, the cooler is what makes this card special and cool. For those who want a noise free card, Diamond's cooler might not be the answer, but it will do the trick for an average user. For this price we expected a higher clocked card. We've seen what Diamond's Radeon HD 3850 512MB Ruby edition can do, and it's definitely more than the Radeon HD 3850 256MB can, and since this card supports DirectX 10.1 and PCI Express 2.0, you can most certainly look forward to some of the next generation games coming our way.

As far as multimedia goes, the Radeon HD 3800 series will satisfy most current demands. The UVD engine takes care of BluRay and HD DVD reproduction, so your CPU power will not be an issue here. The price is right, at about $174 it is a great value. That being said, this card is a really good solution for those on a budget that want a cool and fast enough card.