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HIS launches first passive HD4670
Pricey, but already available
One of the best things about ATI's HD4600 series is the low power consumption and the fact that these mainstream cards don't need external power. The resulting low TDP allows vendors to easily make passive versions of the card, but most have limited their efforts to the cheaper HD4650.
However, HIS has launched the first passive HD4670, and it uses the same iSilence 4 heatsink as HIS's passive HD4650. It's reference clocked, 750/873MHz for the core and memory. The only downside is the price. At €110,- it's €40 more expensive than HIS's passive HD4650. What's even more troubling, an HD4830 sells for €100, while an HD4850 costs €125.
Unfortunately, with such a high price tag we don't see many takers. Hopefully, the price will drop soon; for the moment, if you want to go passive, an HD4650 seems like a more reasonable choice.