Accessories:
The images below show the accessories provided with the 1GB Sapphire HD3870 X2. The below left image shows the user's manual, a disk with drivers, a copy of FutureMark's 3DMark06, CyberLink PowerDVD, and CyberLink DVD Suite. The below right image shows the rest of the accessories, which include a Crossfire bridge, a DVI to HDMI adapter, two DVI to VGA adapters, a s-video to component video adapter, and two power adapter cables.
 
The power adapter cables each convert a 4-pin drive cable to a 6-pin PCI Express connection. This struck me as odd since the card has one 6-pin connection and one 8-pin connection. I contacted Sapphire and they informed me that you can use the two 6-pin connectors anyway, but that the Overdrive features in the Catalyst Control Center are locked out unless you use one 6-pin and one 8-pin connector. I'm not sure why they just don't give you the connectors you need, but honestly, if you are buying a video card like this you should do yourself a favor and be sure you have an appropriate power supply first!
Installation and Operation:
While installing a video card is generally a simple affair, this one may require some extra attention. You must first be sure you have a free PCI Express x16 slot with a free adjacent slot. Then be sure you have a 6-pin and a 8-pin power cable to feed the card. As mentioned above the card does come with power adapters, but using those will limit the functionality of the card.
Initially testing had the card mounted in a motherboard that was laying flat on an open test bench. This seemed a bit precarious as the heavy weight of the card wanted to make it tip over, and the only thing holding it up was the PCI Express slot. Whether you have a setup like this, or a traditional case, be sure to support the card properly, as gravity is working against you with this beast!
I then tried to install it into a case, and I got rather frustrated wondering what the problem was. Something was keeping the card from seating fully into the case's expansion slots, so I could not secure it to the case with either screw (one for each slot it takes up). It turns out that the two screws shown at the far left in this image were the problem. They were hitting the back of the case, and once they were removed the card could be seated properly. I tried this is another case and the same issue arose, so I guess it may be a rather universal annoyance.
While a driver CD is included, I used the latest Catalyst software / drivers (8.3) for this installation instead. The screenshots below show some data on the cards as provided by the Catalyst Control Center's Overdrive tab and by TechPowerUp's GPU-Z 0.1.8.
 
When I first turned the system on with the HD3870 X2 installed I was shocked by the noise as it came to life. Even though the fan is quickly throttled down to a whisper, the initial roar was incredible. Beyond a blow dryer, but not quite a leaf blower. I feared the situation where that level of noise was necessary in normal use.
In normal operation the noise is noticeable unless in a closed case. When the thermally controlled fan ramped up you are made well aware of it, but it has yet to get as loud as it does upon first boot. In game play the noise could be annoying, but keep your case closed and it is rather tolerable. One other sound coming from the card has me a bit curious... In addition to the typical fan noise, there is frequently something that sounds like a high pressure air hose that has sprung a small leak. Kind of like a mechanical "pfffffftt". If that makes things any clearer.
During multimedia use on a variety of monitor types the fan stayed quiet and didn't interrupt the action. The HD3870 X2 is definitely more horsepower than the typical HTPC setup would need, but you would now have the features needed for DVD and Blu-ray play back, as well as taking your 3D games to the big screen at high settings.
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