eVGA 7900 GT 450 MHz or 500/550 MHz?

[hynat]

"get the 450 MHz and overclock it to 500/550".
I know that's the response I would get if I asked which one I should get.

But do the makers really do anything more than just set the default speed higher?
so if I got the 550, and compared it against a 450 OCed to 550, would it be EXACTLY the same, performance/heat/longevity considered?

Or are the 500/550s actually clocked higher by design, and can OC just as well as the 450?
i.e. 550->600/650.

 

[Frostwake]

the point here is you get WARRANTY oced cards, but they shouldnt have much more headroom

 

[Aznguy1872]

yes, should give the same results. But like evga they sometimes include a copper heatsink verision to beable to overclock it higher.