Sapphire 7970 Dual-X: That cooler!

[Quantos]

Just thought I'd create a thread for thing; I'm actually quite amazed nobody mentioned this yet.

http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/45...0_dual_x_3gb_oc_video_card_review/index1.html

Sapphire really seem to be on a roll of awesome coolers. :thumbsup:

 

[Imouto]

What's the point? As far as I know thermals aren't an issue in 28nm for AMD cards.

 

[Qbah]

That is one amazing piece of engineering... So quiet and cool!! Plus the card itself, being a OCed HD7970 is a marvel of its own! :awe:

 

[lehtv]

Perfectly normal double slot dual fan cooler. Why does this thread exist?

 

[Tempered81]

What's the point? As far as I know thermals aren't an issue in 28nm for AMD cards.

The point is 'the cooler the better'.

 

[3DVagabond]

What's the point? As far as I know thermals aren't an issue in 28nm for AMD cards.

O/C'ing, noise, efficiency.

 

[Imouto]

O/C'ing is the same as regular cards. Heat isn't the issue in these cards.
The noise is the same since fan profiles keep them abnormally low. Why in the world are you keeping a card at 64º with the fan at 80%?
Efficiency? Please, elaborate this.

 

[Tempered81]

the cooler it is the more efficient it is. tahiti at 40C probably puts 70-80% of the amperage load on the vrms as it does at 95C. The VRMS, likewise, are more efficient the cooler they operate too.

Also, when it's cooler, it requires less voltage to switch at higher frequencies. All this combined means the fan can spin at a lower rpm, making it more silent.

win win win win win.

 

[blackened23]

What's the point? As far as I know thermals aren't an issue in 28nm for AMD cards.

Use your head for a second, an aftermarket cooler is designed for improved overclocking, better VRM components and better stability at extreme overclocks. That is why people buy cards such as the MSI lightning. Most GPUs are stable at stock clocks...what a ridiculous argument

 

[Imouto]

This is perhaps the stupidest reply I have ever seen here.

Use your head for a second, an aftermarket cooler is designed for improved overclocking, better VRM components and better stability at extreme overclocks. That is why people buy cards such as the MSI lightning. Most GPUs are stable at stock clocks...what a ridiculous argument

This is a REF board with a custom cooler. Isn't even close to a Lightning. Any proof that it has improved VRMs and such? Cuz I only see the ref PBC.

Also, VRMs do not get any kind of extra cooling with these kind of coolers.

Go, go premiums!

 

[blackened23]

This is a REF board with a custom cooler. Isn't even close to a Lightning. Any proof that it has improved VRMs and such? Cuz I only see the ref PBC.

Also, VRMs do not get any kind of extra cooling with these kind of coolers.

Go, go premiums!

I'll call you and raise you, any proof that it is a "reference board with a custom cooler"?

Aftermarket coolers obviously have their place for the reasons I already mentioned. A reference board easily gets up to 90C when overclocked, the reasons why aftermarket cooling is advantageous should be obvious...to MOST people. Overclocking also requires manual fan on reference designs. Manual fan is not quiet.

Also, nice job on furthering an old and tired meme. Its not like we haven't seen that 2700 times.

 

[Imouto]

Sapphire non ref boards doesn't have any brand on them.

90º in a OCed 7970? Are you nuts?

 

[blackened23]

Sapphire non ref boards doesn't have any brand on them.

90º in a OCed 7970? Are you nuts?

Yes i'm nuts when I see afterburner reading 90c at a 1200mhz overclock and 50% manual fan at 100% GPU load.

You'd think the reasons why people opt for aftermarketing cooling to help overclock would be obvious, but I guess not. I'll spell it out for you. The REFERENCE fan board gets HOT when overclocked to extremes.

 

[railven]

OH DAMMIT! Curse my lack of patience Any idea when this would launch? I hate being so indecisive some times, it's like I get the green light to buy and I just buy the first thing that I see. Haha.

@Railven: OH STFU, it's just a custom cooler!

 

[Imouto]

Yes i'm nuts when I see afterburner reading 90c at a 1200mhz overclock and 50% manual fan at 100% GPU load.

You'd think the reasons why people opt for aftermarketing cooling to help overclock would be obvious, but I guess not. I'll spell it out for you. The REFERENCE fan board gets HOT when overclocked to extremes.

lol 50% fan speed lol? Try with 20% next time.
Trying to make any statement about temps with a dual setup?

You're starting to look like that Ballathefeared guy.

 

[Zargon]

no heat issues? look at the temps page, tons of them are running hot and the temps on that one are INSANELY good

 

[railven]

no heat issues? look at the temps page, tons of them are running hot and the temps on that one are INSANELY good

10c cooler than a ref model at 5 decibels quieter. Remember, every 10 decibels denotes "double" in loudness.

So that thing is quiet, cooler, and faster. I'm jealous. With so many ref models going around, I expect the after market kits to be amazing.

If this unit replaces their ref model unit - I will be pissed! But, it's my fault haha.

 

[Arzachel]

lol 50% fan speed lol? Try with 20% next time.
Trying to make any statement about temps with a dual setup?

You're starting to look like that Ballathefeared guy.

50% is about the maximum fan speed for the reference cooler, that isn't annoying. Go past that and it quickly starts sounding like a "Banshee and the Wailers" album.

 

[Zargon]

10c cooler than a ref model at 5 decibels quieter. Remember, every 10 decibels denotes "double" in loudness.

So that thing is quiet, cooler, and faster. I'm jealous. With so many ref models going around, I expect the after market kits to be amazing.

If this unit replaces their ref model unit - I will be pissed! But, it's my fault haha.

heheh yeah.

I have had 3 reference 69xx cards

I have one Sapphire dual fan 'dirt 3' card.

the dual fan card blows the reference ones away in both temps and noise

the only card I have had that is quieter is a 5870 with the tri-fan accerlero on it thats about 12.5" long...

 

[RussianSensation]

A quieter cooler than reference, which also allows for quiet operation even at 1200mhz GPU clock for HD7970 is a good thing. It's about time that Sapphire launched a non-reference HD7970.

 

[railven]

A quieter cooler than reference, which also allows for quiet operation even at 1200mhz GPU clock for HD7970 is a good thing. It's about time that Sapphire launched a non-reference HD7970.

Well since you edited your post, I'll respond to what you originally said about 10db being 8x louder.

Since I was talking to someone about sones one day I was looking into decibels, and in terms of "perceived hearing" 10dbs == double the loudness:

http://www.sengpielaudio.com/calculator-levelchange.htm

10 dB = twice the perceived volume or twice as loud (Loudness nearly sensed - psychoacoustics)

You can check out his chart on the link, 8x loudness is +30db of the original sound point.

EDIT: I should start screen shoting before I hit reply haha so people know what I'm replying too

 

[Silverforce11]

Man.. I haven't visted tweaktown for ages and seeing that review reminded me not to ever go there again.

Look at their bench lineup. Not to mention the complete bias in using a large portion of TWIMTBP games... BUT, Far Cry 2? WTF is this, 2009?

 

[blckgrffn]

lol 50% fan speed lol? Try with 20% next time.
Trying to make any statement about temps with a dual setup?

You're starting to look like that Ballathefeared guy.

What's the deal with people and social skills? Is this how you really talk to other people IRL?

Anyway, I am pleased to see these types of cards. At some point the 5870 in the sig might get replaced simply due to acoustics and load power consumption - the trend of quiet, cool cards is quite welcome.

 

[Imouto]

What's the deal with people and social skills? Is this how you really talk to other people IRL?

Check his first post and futher in this thread. I answered way better than him.

 

[blckgrffn]

Check his first post and futher in this thread. I answered way better than him.

Ah. I forgot where I was there for a second.

Clearly I cannot force my desire for what this forum should be on others (it's the Internets) but this attitude bother the crap out of me.

Just like people are dicks to each other while driving in a way they would never be in person (at least here in "MN nice" land), so to does the Internet roll...

Sorry to single you out, this posting just exceeded my (cumulative) tolerance levels. I think I need to go outside for a while.