7970 brand/custom design experience?

What's the way to go here? Since my 'very special' offer at Amamzon.de has been withdrawn by the dealer, I am having some time to find an ideal 7970 for me. Which are the best brands and designs to look for, especially regarding temps, noise, OC potential and support?

Before considering some reference design, I did set my eyes to three toys:

MSI Lightning http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814127670

XFX DD http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814150632

VisionTrek (I think it's VTX3D over here): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814129265


As it will do a lot of POEM, I may neglect noise, but I don't want to leave the house every time I am running Dirt. ;)

Yea! The new 7990 has run over night, on turbo mode, no problems this time.

I'll be canceling my order for 3x 7970s with amazon.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by zombie67

Yea! The new 7990 has run over night, on turbo mode, no problems this time.

I'll be canceling my order for 3x 7970s with amazon.

---

I wish I could use this toy. :( :((

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by zombie67

Yea! The new 7990 has run over night, on turbo mode, no problems this time.

I'll be canceling my order for 3x 7970s with amazon.

---

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!! :p


Can't wait to see the numbers Z..

I don't think any of them will be quieter than the next. You'll want to go aftermarket for that. I think JPM posted something aon a few after market coolers coming out for the 7970.

Here is one. Gotta LOVE Dracula!!=P~

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/...view,3288.html

@zombie, where 7990 was purchased?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Robert7

@zombie, where 7990 was purchased?

---

Newegg.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814131479

Out of stock now. Keep an eye on it it has come back in stock a day or so ago.

So, anybody can recommend a 7970? ;)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mad Matt

So, anybody can recommend a 7970? ;)

---

I was planing on buying this one.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814150596

I've become an XFX fan boy due to their lifetime warranty. Price is competitive of not lowest at times.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mad Matt

So, anybody can recommend a 7970? ;)

---

My personal choice would be one like this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814103210
Doesn't have to be that brand exactly, though it does have a nice 5 year warranty with a 100MHz factory overlock. It's more the design that draws me to it. The 3 you picked are great if they will be the only GPU in your system, but with 2 or more you'll want ones designed like the one in the link that will blow the hot air out the back of the case instead of just swirling it around inside.

Out of the 3 you picked though, take Mike's advice and go with the XFX :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mad Matt

So, anybody can recommend a 7970? ;)

---

I have two of these... very nice and quiet:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814102982

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mr. Hankey

I have two of these... very nice and quiet:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814102982

---

Even quieter in the crawlspace under the house, no? :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mumps

Even quieter in the crawlspace under the house, no? :)

---

haha, no the 7970s are actually on my desk right next to me. The noisy shit goes under the house. I have actually had to do quite a bit of maintenance lately too, so been spending way too much time crawling around down there.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mr. Hankey

haha, no the 7970s are actually on my desk right next to me. The noisy shit goes under the house. I have actually had to do quite a bit of maintenance lately too, so been spending way too much time crawling around down there.

---

Hmmm... "Noisy shit goes under the house" If you refer back to your Avatar, that may explain why you've had to spend so much time down there lately. :) =))

Cheers for the ideas, guys. :) Over here XFX warranty is two years, but np with fair refunding, btw. Diamand AFAIK does not appear on the German market at all.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by John P. Myers

but with 2 or more you'll want ones designed like the one in the link that will blow the hot air out the back of the case instead of just swirling it around inside.

---

Interesting thought as my cases extremely support out-taking reference designs (np in handling 5970 + 295 due to outtake flow). However, 2x 570 custom design also worked well, though the middle one takes significantly more heat, the CPU too. It also depends how much air the design gets out, I think there are strong differences. Gigabyte seems to take at least some or enough out.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mumps

Even quieter in the crawlspace under the house, no? :)

---

Wish there was one in my flat. :D But I can sleep next to a rig running POEM. :))

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mad Matt

Cheers for the ideas, guys. :) Over here XFX warranty is two years, but np with fair refunding, btw. Diamand AFAIK does not appear on the German market at all.



Interesting thought as my cases extremely support out-taking reference designs (np in handling 5970 + 295 due to outtake flow). However, 2x 570 custom design also worked well, though the middle one takes significantly more heat, the CPU too. It also depends how much air the design gets out, I think there are strong differences. Gigabyte seems to take at least some out.



Wish there was one in my flat. :D But I can sleep next to a rig running POEM. :))

---

lol, very true. Not on Donate or DiRT, tho

Of course, the 3 shipped just before I cancelled. I'll return them when they arrive. Maybe even return them all.....

;)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by zombie67

Of course, the 3 shipped just before I cancelled. I'll return them when they arrive. Maybe even return them all.....

;)

---

NO Wait!!! Can't you run them for a week then return them? Would that be unethical? I say no. :o

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mike029

NO Wait!!! Can't you run them for a week then return them? Would that be unethical? I say no. :o

---

I vote 29 days :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by zombie67

Of course, the 3 shipped just before I cancelled. I'll return them when they arrive. Maybe even return them all.....

;)

---

For the price you paid I would think you shouldn't have any problem reselling them to get your investment back.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by zombie67

Of course, the 3 shipped just before I cancelled. I'll return them when they arrive. Maybe even return them all.....

---

They were just too damn pretty to send back. Like puppies, once they're in your house, it's already too late. :D

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/55884901/7970s.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by zombie67

They were just too damn pretty to send back. Like puppies, once they're in your house, it's already too late. :D

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/55884901/7970s.jpg

---

Damn, Z... They are good looking. Wait ain't they working already? :mad: slackers!!! :o I'm sooooo excited to get mine crunching. :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by zombie67

They were just too damn pretty to send back. Like puppies, once they're in your house, it's already too late. :D

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/55884901/7970s.jpg

---

Congrats on your decision! :cool: I made one too, btw. ;)

Yeah. I started out wanting just a 7990, and ended up with a 7990 + 3x7970.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by zombie67

Yeah. I started out wanting just a 7990, and ended up with a 7990 + 3x7970.

---

;)) Nobody can say you lowered your expectations! =D>

:cool:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by zombie67

They were just too damn pretty to send back. Like puppies, once they're in your house, it's already too late. :D

---

=)) :)) =))

Congrats Z. Me thinks you have now entered Ste\/e territory.....

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Fire$torm

=)) :)) =))

Congrats Z. Me thinks you have now entered Ste\/e territory.....

---

Hah! Not even close.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by zombie67

Hah! Not even close.

---

Let's see once those puppies are banging out some DiRT. Yeah baby!! Time to talk some smack. (easy to talk when they are not yours) lol..

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mike029

Let's see once those puppies are banging out some DiRT. Yeah baby!! Time to talk some smack. (easy to talk when they are not yours) lol..

---

Better talking smack than lacking slots. :))

=))=))=))

:)):))

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mad Matt

Better talking smack than lacking slots. :))

=))=))=))

---