Graphics Card Decisions

[Browser]

If they prices are close together it's worth checking power usage too as that will add up over time, also check idle and 2D power usage as it will probably spend most of it's time like that.

Wouldn't worry much about which brand name to go with as they basically just put their stickers on someone else chips and at most sometimes design their own PCB which increases cost without much or any benefit.

 

[unskinnybob]

did you try manually unlocking with the bios editor(this works on 1gb cards also)?

http://www.techpowerup.com/articles/overclocking/vidcard/159

you can read about it there, they claim you can unlock a 1gb one also.

I tried a heap of things. It boils down to the card being locked tighter than a medieval virgin's copper chastity belt. The card comes without the BIOS switch.

See http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc...d-6950-dirt-3-edition-969839/review?artc_pg=2

 

[stroebs]

1000/4800 clocks.

i7 920 @ 4.2ghz

Some decent clocks there! You could probably push it even further but 1GHz/4800 is pretty good!!! It's what my standard Sapphire HD6870 is running at, although temps are VERY high. Will have to buy a Zalman VF300 series.

Any other GPU coolers anyone can recommend for a HD6870?

 

[tiandup]

Go for ATI. The midrange ATI cards are generally better than Nvidia's midrange cards and they are also cheaper

 

[Gtx Gaming]

yeah it can do 1050 core, then it artifacts, though it runs, think it can do 1030 core, think i got bad core, voltage not making a difference etc.


http://www.prophecy.co.za/arctic-co...treme-plus-cooler-hd687058705830-p-85476.html

very good cooler for the 6870 , though its out of stock

 

[killadoob]

yeah it can do 1050 core, then it artifacts, though it runs, think it can do 1030 core, think i got bad core, voltage not making a difference etc.


http://www.prophecy.co.za/arctic-co...treme-plus-cooler-hd687058705830-p-85476.html

very good cooler for the 6870 , though its out of stock

Surely it would be better to buy a faster vga card?

 

[Gtx Gaming]

yes not really worth it on a hd6870 , unless you want a silent pc then it is worth it to upgrade the cooler.

 

[Gtx Gaming]

ok at 1030 core i got .

20800 total score so 400 increase.

19.5k gpu , 500 increase .

i want to push it even further

 

[Kuga]

@ OP:

Do you want PhysX support? And do you plan on running a second card and Eyefinity at a later stage?

Pretty much sums it up on what your decision is based on.

 

[stroebs]

ok at 1030 core i got .

20800 total score so 400 increase.

19.5k gpu , 500 increase .

i want to push it even further

I am sure with a different cooler you could do so...

I am planning to use my CUD... errr... upgrade my stock HD6870 with a decent cooler such as the VR001 and acquire a second HD6870.

Currently using Hybrid Physx mod + MSi 8800GTX in my rig.