Looking to replace my 1GB 4870 with a XFX 7870 Double D 1000MHZ 2GB.

[dennilfloss]

Warning: there's not much point in recommending me to get a nVidia equivalent like the 660TI. I know it may be slightly better in Skyrim but once you have enough FPS there's no difference and I tend to support AMD (which helps keep prices lower through competition).

My 1GHz Diamond 4870 will be 4 years old next month & has served me exemplarily to this day, but I want something with 2GB RAM so I can use more detailed textures in Skyrim (otherwise the 4870 is enough to play happily) and also because I don't want to wait until it breaks. I only play RPGs. No MMOs, no FPS. I have yet to play my two IL-2 WWII flight sim games. Plan to do soon.

I can have the Double Dissipation 1GHz XFX 7870 for $249.99 after a $30 mail-in rebate, which sounds like a decent price.

Card review & pics.

http://pcper.com/reviews/Graphics-C...ion-HD-7850-and-HD-7870-Review-Kings-Midrange

My specs are in my sig. The 955BE isn't overclocked and I probably won't make a CPU upgrade for at least another year unless it gets sickly as it still feels fast enough. It's an early version (C2) so I can expect going from 3.2 to 3.6 GHz and that's about it. I know it's a bottleneck of sorts. I play at 1920x1200. I may eventually overclock the 7870 if needed but I haven't my 4870 except occasionally just to check. I'm quite happy generally with just staying at a factory overclock default.

My Antec SLK 3700-BQE midtower is rather short so I have only about 3/4" clearance in front of my 9.6" 4870. A 7950 won't fit, as won't many 7850/7870s. Luckily this XFX card is listed at 9.5" and it's connectors are at the top. Both cards use two 6-pin connectors so it would be easy to make the connection to the PSU change.

Here's my PSU reviewed by our very own johnnyguru a few years ago so you can check the amp on leads and tell me if there's any potential problems. I don't think the 7870 would draw more than my 4870 but you folks know better than me if that's the case.

http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story&reid=2

I have one major question: my motherboard is a PCI Express 2.0. The new card is 3.0. My understanding is that this wouldn't cause a problem in terms of fit or power draw but I want to make sure.

Also I'd like to know if XFX is a reputable company as I've never dealt with them and if their warranty is good.

Thanks in advance. The sale ends in a few days so if you can provide some feedback soon, that would be much appreciated.

 

[ShadowVVL]

pci e 3.0 card will work fine in 2.0.

The Antec SLK 3700-BQE is not a high air flow case. the xfx 7870 double D has a open air cooler so the case might get a little hot inside.

Only xfx part I own is my motherboard which is still going strong after 4 years but I have never owned a gpu by them. I am Not sure about warranty never rma'd anything yet.

 

[dennilfloss]

Thanks for the reply.

I modded my case by modifying the front bezel years ago. That lowered my temps by 4-5C.

DD looks pretty enclosed (though not totally) here.

 

[toyota]

lol, I would have just spent 50-75 bucks on a decent case instead wasting time modding that one. now you have a ghetto case and still cant match the airflow of decent case.

anyway, the 7870 is not a high power consuming card so it should not add to much heat to your case.

 

[dennilfloss]

I got that case in 2003-2004 and it was ~$90. Back then there were fewer fans and I wanted a more silent case than my Lian Li with its double 80mm fans. It has worked well on the noise level and it reasonably cool. BTW, it looks worse in the pic because the camera flash light goes through the black pantyhose filter. In normal light, it looks all black.

http://www.silentpcreview.com/article116-page1.html

Edit: Here's the case it replaced, which I had modded also.

 

[RussianSensation]

I haven't heard great things about XFX DD series this generation. It's a mixed bag from reviews. The fans often fail/buzz based on some Newegg reviews. However, it seems this card has Lifetime Warranty, so you are covered either way. The Zotac AMP! 660Ti would have been perfect for you since it's only 7.5 inches long. But if you want to stick with AMD, $250 CDN for a 7870 with a lifetime warranty is a pretty good deal. Not sure if it will last you 4 years though like the 4870. 4870 was a high-end card and 7870 is a mid-range. The 7950 is really what you'd want with its overclocking headroom and 3GB of VRAM to help with your goal of keeping this card just as long. Unfortunately it's not $250 just yet.

 

[dennilfloss]

Looking at feedback on this particular model, I only see one review mentioning a fan whine and none mentioning failing fans at newegg.ca...

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16814150605

None in the two reviews at newegg.com.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814150606

Only noise mentioned in 56 reviews of the 7850 (same PCB, same cooling) at newegg.com is one mention of capacitor whine. Most reviews laud the card for being silent and running very cool.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...scrollFullInfo

That card is the same size as my 4870 in all three dimensions. If there were a 9.6" long 7950, I'd be all over it but they all seem to be around 10.5" or longer.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

I had a DD with a fan buzz, but it went away after I moved around the DVI connectors. I bump the case, it'll come back, until I wiggle the handle again.

Probably just a fan shroud that isn't entirely manufactured to spec.

I have an SLK-3000-BQE. Could use more airflow. I compensate by using lower-TDP parts and not overclocking. (2x 7750 CF, 2.5" HDD.) Probably ought to add a side vent.

I also have to blow the cat hair out every 6 months or so.

 

[ShadowVVL]

If overclocking these cards doesn't void warranty then its a great offer from XFX.

 

[dennilfloss]

Well, I'm not planning to overclock it anyway.

Any more help, folks, before I decide whether to order it this evening? TIA

http://techreport.com/articles.x/22705

 

[RussianSensation]

Ya, as expected for the rest of the XFX DD line-up this round, these cards run hotter than just about most 7850/7870s. If you don't plan to overclock much, shouldn't be a big deal.

 

[Concillian]

The double D cooler scored worse than reference in some reviews. As long as you are buying for looks and not cooling performance, go for it. If you care about cooling performance, then ASUS, Sapphire and Gigabyte are all better.

 

[Arkaign]

Pricing should be bouncing around the next couple of weeks. If you want to try to keep your new card for about as long as you kept your old one, you should really throw a few more bucks at it and go 7950. You'll thank me in the end!

After AMD changed the naming scheme with the 6xxx series, the 7900 series is the higher end cards, as the 48xx and 58xx were. The 68xx and 78xx are 2nd-tier cards. Yes, the 7950 is likely to cost $50 more than a ~$300ish 7870, but you'll get a 384-bit card instead of 256-bit, 3gb of faster ram instead of 2gb, and with oc'ing the 7950 can be as fast or faster than any single GPU card on the market. Maybe sometime in the next few years you'll go new CPU/Mobo, and perhaps a monitor that has 2560x1440, both of which will be much much better matched to the 7950.

 

[Arkaign]

Oh yeah, mod your case so you can fit the 7950. You can move your HDDs up to another location and knock out that hdd enclosure in the front area of the case. As a bonus, your front intake fan will then feed unimpeded right past the 7950.

 

[p_monks33]

Save 50 dollars get a 7850 and a new case that has more room for future mods. That IMHO just an opinion though.

 

[legcramp]

lol, I would have just spent 50-75 bucks on a decent case instead wasting time modding that one. now you have a ghetto case and still cant match the airflow of decent case.

cool story bro, i didnt know you trolled over here too.

 

[toyota]

cool story bro, i didnt know you trolled over here too.

it appears the trolling is being done by you considering you only quoted part of what I said and added nothing to the thread at all.

 

[dennilfloss]

OK. I think I'll pass on this and wait a bit longer to check other deals that may appear. Thanks all for the feedback. Much appreciated.