best 7950 model?

[stag3]

from what i'm reading it's the sapphire 7950 OC, followed by the xfx DD.
i can't find the MSI twin froze anywhere for sale, except at a ~475 price where the other
2 are 409 each.

is the sapphire the best one to get?

if i could find a gtx680 for msrp i'd get it

 

[aaksheytalwar]

Get a 7970 at msrp. Similar performance to 680 oc once overclocked past FCC limits.

 

[stag3]

trying to save myself the 75 or so bucks, plus the length of the 7970 is to long for my case haha

 

[blastingcap]

If prices were equal I would get a dual or tri-fan version like the Sapphire 7950 OC version or the Gigabyte triple-fan version. But you may get a better price on a reference model in which case I might get a reference model.

Be aware that there are TWO reference 7950 designs, one with fan at the end which is higher quality but also runs a little hotter and louder; and one with a fan in the middle with iffy cooling beyond the GPU so only get it if you have a case with good airflow. You can see a comparison of the two reference designs here (flip between pages of the review):

http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/foru...eon-hd-7950-review-tahiti-pro-arrives-11.html

I initially ordered a reference 7970 but changed my order to a dual-fan 7970 since there's a sale on it right now and I need a mini-DP to DVI adapter. If I didn't need the adapter, I'd go with a dual-fan 7950 like the Sapphire OC unless I could get the better-quality reference board (fan at the end) for $10-20 less.

 

[stag3]

yea i think i'm gonna go with the sapphire OC model with the dual fans, in testing it was 58 under load, while the others were 60-72 ish. i just wish i jumped on it a couple days ago when it was 399, it's now 409 on amazon

 

[Rvenger]

Theres a guy in the FS/FT selling a Gigabyte 7950 Windforce for 370 shipped.

 

[stag3]

hmm couldn't find the guy selling it, i found someone selling a 7970 version for 450 tho

 

[blastingcap]

from what i'm reading it's the sapphire 7950 OC, followed by the xfx DD.
i can't find the MSI twin froze anywhere for sale, except at a ~475 price where the other
2 are 409 each.

is the sapphire the best one to get?

if i could find a gtx680 for msrp i'd get it

btw I'd avoid the XFX DD 7970 if I were you. The XFX DD 7950 seems fine though. Here are some 7950 and 7970 comparisons: http://www.hardware.fr/articles/853...950-asus-his-msi-powercolor-sapphire-xfx.html See the thermal photos in particular, which is easiest to do on this page: http://www.hardware.fr/articles/853-16/thermographie-infrarouge-cartes-graphiques.html (rather than having to visit each page individually).

ASUS has some issues with GPU contacts or something on the DirectCU II cooler right now so avoid them until they fix it. Besides, they don't cool the VRMs as well as the competition anyway.

That leaves MSI's Twin Frozr III and Sapphire's OC edition coolers as the best two for 7950 cooling--Hardware.fr proclaims the Sapphire OC as the winner among its tested 7950s. I don't think the difference is much, though, especially when both are heavily overclocked, but I went with the cheaper Sapphire OC myself. Here are the links to the overclocked temperatures:

http://www.hardware.fr/articles/853-11/sapphire-radeon-hd-7950-overclock-test.html

http://www.hardware.fr/articles/853-7/msi-radeon-hd-7950-twin-frozr-iii-test.html

 

[Don Karnage]

Don't waste your money with XFX. Go with Asus, Sapphire or MSI

 

[Rvenger]

hmm couldn't find the guy selling it, i found someone selling a 7970 version for 450 tho

Here you go

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2227111&highlight=

He told me it was 2 months old and never overclocked. Pretty good deal for a factory overclocked windforce model.

 

[stag3]

i think i will just get the sapphire 7970 OC now, and remove the HD cage or dremel some metal to make it fit LOL

http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-Radeo...377734&sr=8-11

459 , and i have a 28 credit for amazon.

edit: and bought for 432 shipped

 

[Rvenger]

i think i will just get the sapphire 7970 OC now, and remove the HD cage or dremel some metal to make it fit LOL

http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-Radeo...377734&sr=8-11

459 , and i have a 28 credit for amazon.

edit: and bought for 432 shipped

Niice, I got the same one. I paid $400 after all the credits I had.

 

[Upgrade_Itch]

According to reviews I've read (incl. Anandtech's) the Sapphire 7950 oc likely is. With the dual bios (2nd slot allowing higher clocks) and this model still kicks arse acoustically (low noise) and in its thermal cooling...