- Sep 5, 2003
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September 18, 2012 Update:
CARD #1
SAPPHIRE 100352SR Radeon HD 7950 3GB 384-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card = $279.99 after MIR
+ Sleeping Dogs
^ This card has 6+6 pin power and doesn't have the same VRM cooling as the Sapphire Dual-X 950mhz version. It should still overclock to 1050mhz or maybe 1100mhz but beyond that I am not sure (essentially a similar PCB is used in the 1025mhz Review for BF3 overclocking linked below as Sapphire FLEX). The price is good though.
For more robust overclockers look for:
1) Sapphire Dual-X 950mhz version (6+8 power / 7970 PCB)
2) Sapphire Vapor-X (8 black diamond chockes and vapor chamber cooler)
3) Gigabyte Windforce 3x
4) MSI TF3 (newer ones will have 6+8 power / 7970 PCB)
========================================
* Prices at Amazon, Newegg, Superbiiz keep changing, so I try adjust them a couple times a week to see who has the lowest * Both of these cards are proven overclockers and offer similar performance to an after-market GTX670 OC for $70-80 less.
CARD #2
MSI R7950 Twin Frozr 3GD5/OC Radeon HD 7950 3GB on Newegg $314.99 - $15 MIR - $15 OFF with Coupon Code: Crunch15 + Free Shipping = $300
+ $49.99 Sleeping Dogs Game Coupon
The Rebate terms (Expires September 30, 2012 )
============================= OR ==============================================
CARD #3
SAPPHIRE 100352OCSR Radeon HD 7950 3GB 384-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card - $329.99
Less $20 General Rebate Form + $7.87 shipping
= $318
The Rebate terms (Expires September 15, 2012 )
The MSI card:
This card is fast because it retains the full 32 ROPs and 384-bit memory bandwidth of the HD7970 as well as the full 3GB VRAM, which is why it's able to scale so well with overclocking.
With 1025mhz overclock, it nudges right against the GTX680 (a $500 card!). It takes an 1150mhz 660Ti to match this. But the 7950 has another 100-150mhz overclocking headroom. This is one of the better case scenarios for the 660Ti using BF3, a game that runs very well on NV's Kepler architecture and the 7950 still does well.
At 1135mhz, HD7950 becomes the best bang for the buck single-GPU card for high-end gamers this generation, for around ~$315-330.
A lot of these MSI TF3 are now made on the HD7970 PCB which means 6+8-pin power connector and 1100mhz overclock on stock voltage (1.174V) is very common. This makes it among the best overclockers in the 7950 stable:
Here are idle and load temperatures among various HD7950 cards:
http://www.computerbase.de/artikel/grafikkarten/2012/kurztest-3-x-amd-radeon-hd-7950/6/
Here is thermal imaging under full 3D load. Stays relatively cool.
For anyone looking at 660Ti vs. 7950, this card is a no brainer if you intend to overclock and play games other than BF3:
Here is even a compiled summary of over 10 reviews which show that a stock 7950 is faster than a 660Ti. So think about how much faster 7950 will be at 1100-1200mhz. This is why this deal is HOT!
It does very well with texture mods (Skyrim) and if you like the option of using 8AA (Batman AC).
Just make sure your case is well ventilated and that you get Catalyst 12.8, not the drivers from the CD.
Superbiiz coupon codes:
August 3 Update: Price went up $4 to $349.99, from $345.99.
August 7 Update: Superbiiz coupon discount decreased from $10 Off to $5 Off, but now 3 Free games Steam coupon is added.
August 15 Update: Coupon Code "TECH101" for $15 OFF, good until August 20
August 21 Update: Coupon Code "SaveU10" for $10 off, good until August 27, 3 Free games coupon is no longer valid. *** AMD should start bundling Sleeping Dogs by the end of this week.
August 28 Update: Newegg now added Sleeping Dogs game coupon ($50 value)
September 18 Update: Coupon Code: "Crunch15" for $15 OFF, good until September 24 (MSI TF3 7950 with Sleeping Dogs for $300 at Superbiiz)
*** For anyone interested in how well this card overclocks, there is a thread --> Here. ***
CARD #1
SAPPHIRE 100352SR Radeon HD 7950 3GB 384-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card = $279.99 after MIR
+ Sleeping Dogs
^ This card has 6+6 pin power and doesn't have the same VRM cooling as the Sapphire Dual-X 950mhz version. It should still overclock to 1050mhz or maybe 1100mhz but beyond that I am not sure (essentially a similar PCB is used in the 1025mhz Review for BF3 overclocking linked below as Sapphire FLEX). The price is good though.
For more robust overclockers look for:
1) Sapphire Dual-X 950mhz version (6+8 power / 7970 PCB)
2) Sapphire Vapor-X (8 black diamond chockes and vapor chamber cooler)
3) Gigabyte Windforce 3x
4) MSI TF3 (newer ones will have 6+8 power / 7970 PCB)
========================================
* Prices at Amazon, Newegg, Superbiiz keep changing, so I try adjust them a couple times a week to see who has the lowest * Both of these cards are proven overclockers and offer similar performance to an after-market GTX670 OC for $70-80 less.
CARD #2
MSI R7950 Twin Frozr 3GD5/OC Radeon HD 7950 3GB on Newegg $314.99 - $15 MIR - $15 OFF with Coupon Code: Crunch15 + Free Shipping = $300
+ $49.99 Sleeping Dogs Game Coupon
The Rebate terms (Expires September 30, 2012 )
============================= OR ==============================================
CARD #3
SAPPHIRE 100352OCSR Radeon HD 7950 3GB 384-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card - $329.99
Less $20 General Rebate Form + $7.87 shipping
= $318
The Rebate terms (Expires September 15, 2012 )
The MSI card:
This card is fast because it retains the full 32 ROPs and 384-bit memory bandwidth of the HD7970 as well as the full 3GB VRAM, which is why it's able to scale so well with overclocking.
With 1025mhz overclock, it nudges right against the GTX680 (a $500 card!). It takes an 1150mhz 660Ti to match this. But the 7950 has another 100-150mhz overclocking headroom. This is one of the better case scenarios for the 660Ti using BF3, a game that runs very well on NV's Kepler architecture and the 7950 still does well.
At 1135mhz, HD7950 becomes the best bang for the buck single-GPU card for high-end gamers this generation, for around ~$315-330.
A lot of these MSI TF3 are now made on the HD7970 PCB which means 6+8-pin power connector and 1100mhz overclock on stock voltage (1.174V) is very common. This makes it among the best overclockers in the 7950 stable:
Here are idle and load temperatures among various HD7950 cards:
http://www.computerbase.de/artikel/grafikkarten/2012/kurztest-3-x-amd-radeon-hd-7950/6/
Here is thermal imaging under full 3D load. Stays relatively cool.
For anyone looking at 660Ti vs. 7950, this card is a no brainer if you intend to overclock and play games other than BF3:
Here is even a compiled summary of over 10 reviews which show that a stock 7950 is faster than a 660Ti. So think about how much faster 7950 will be at 1100-1200mhz. This is why this deal is HOT!
It does very well with texture mods (Skyrim) and if you like the option of using 8AA (Batman AC).
Just make sure your case is well ventilated and that you get Catalyst 12.8, not the drivers from the CD.
Superbiiz coupon codes:
August 3 Update: Price went up $4 to $349.99, from $345.99.
August 7 Update: Superbiiz coupon discount decreased from $10 Off to $5 Off, but now 3 Free games Steam coupon is added.
August 15 Update: Coupon Code "TECH101" for $15 OFF, good until August 20
August 21 Update: Coupon Code "SaveU10" for $10 off, good until August 27, 3 Free games coupon is no longer valid. *** AMD should start bundling Sleeping Dogs by the end of this week.
August 28 Update: Newegg now added Sleeping Dogs game coupon ($50 value)
September 18 Update: Coupon Code: "Crunch15" for $15 OFF, good until September 24 (MSI TF3 7950 with Sleeping Dogs for $300 at Superbiiz)
*** For anyone interested in how well this card overclocks, there is a thread --> Here. ***
Last edited:
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