Fastest HD6870

nabster · 24 Nov 2010 at 17:23

Can we get back on topic sick of posts getting hijacked and turned into ATi v Nvidia the guy asked what was the fastest 6870 some of us might be interested in this topic.

terrystar · 24 Nov 2010 at 17:43

Yes please, was what I wanted to know initially. Which HD6870 is the fastest?

^Andy^ · 24 Nov 2010 at 18:07

terrystar said:
Yes please, was what I wanted to know initially. Which HD6870 is the fastest?

So far I believe that the XFX6870 Black Edition is the fastest stock overclocked card (which is why I was interested in obtaining the bios file from one!).

^Andy^ · 24 Nov 2010 at 18:09

dave_beast said:
Done, it says it will verify it etc.

Excellent, Thanks. I will give it a try as soon as it appears on the download list

Marine-RX179 · 24 Nov 2010 at 18:10

terrystar said:
Yes please, was what I wanted to know initially. Which HD6870 is the fastest?

6870 is 6870 no matter what brand, so whichever one that has the highest factory overclock will be the fastest (in this case I think it is the XFX BE). However, manufacturer tends to charge a small premium for the small factory overclock, of which you can easily do yourself using application such as MSI Afterburner. You can get the following for £15 less, plus a Modern Warfare 2 Voucher Code for the full game:
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-021-HS&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=1866
The Modern Warfare 2 Voucher itself worth around £15, so you would be like saving £30 in total comparing to the XFX BE. I simply don't see the extra 40MHz on the XFX 6870 BE worth £30...

The fastest 6870 is one that you can clock the highest yourself. It is however down to luck whether you get a good core or not; but no matter what core you get, it will have no problem at all overclocking to beyond manufacturer's factory overclocked clock speed.

Some people would wait for manufacturers to release the cards with custom coolers, some would offer usually better cooling and quietness than the reference cooler (I saw someone mentioning that his Sapphire 6870 is a bit loud under load). Better cooling would lower the temp of the card, which would contribute toward better overclocking.

dave_beast · 24 Nov 2010 at 18:11

My bios will appear here, not there yet though

http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/...cturer=XFX&model=HD+6870&interface=&memSize=0

Overclocks to 1000/1200 easily

^Andy^ · 24 Nov 2010 at 18:25

dave_beast said:
My bios will appear here, not there yet though

Dave, I've added you on msn in the hope that you can send me the bios file. I will then drop a copy onto my web server for download until it's available on techpowerup's site if that's ok with you?

Stanners · 24 Nov 2010 at 18:36

dave_beast said:
My bios will appear here, not there yet though

http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/...cturer=XFX&model=HD+6870&interface=&memSize=0

Overclocks to 1000/1200 easily

Nice, looking stable in windows. How does it do under stress, would be interested in a screenie with temps etc as have tinkered with the idea of getting of two these.

dave_beast · 24 Nov 2010 at 19:56

^Andy^ said:
Dave, I've added you on msn in the hope that you can send me the bios file. I will then drop a copy onto my web server for download until it's available on techpowerup's site if that's ok with you?

I've uploaded it anyways mate, this is what you want yeah?

http://www.ukweatherworld.co.uk/Dave/Barts.bin

^Andy^ · 24 Nov 2010 at 19:59

dave_beast said:
I've uploaded it anyways mate, this is what you want yeah?

http://www.ukweatherworld.co.uk/Dave/Barts.bin

Excellent - thanks I'm just off to give it a try!

^Andy^ · 24 Nov 2010 at 20:40

Very nice indeed - works fine on my Sapphire card. I was previously using the HIS bios (920/1120) and got a Heaven bench of 938 at 1080p using the stock 10.10 drivers. Using the XFX bios kindly supplied by dave_beast I get a Heaven bench of 964 with the same settings.

And yes I know I could get more if I use afterburner etc but i like to fire and forget so flashing the bios is a neater solution for me!

Thank you Mr Beast! As a well known supermarket likes to say - every little helps!

dave_beast · 24 Nov 2010 at 20:41

^Andy^ said:
Very nice indeed - works fine on my Sapphire card. I was previously using the HIS bios (920/1120) and got a Heaven bench of 938 at 1080p using the stock 10.10 drivers. Using the XFX bios kindly supplied by dave_beast I get a Heaven bench of 964 with the same settings.

And yes I know I could get more if I use afterburner etc but i like to fire and forget so flashing the bios is a neater solution for me!

Thank you Mr Beast! As a well known supermarket likes to say - every little helps!

Nice one, glad to have helped

^Andy^ · 24 Nov 2010 at 20:46

So I guess the answer to the OP is whatever 6870 card you buy should it happen to accidentally get flashed to the XFX BE bios will be the fastest

dave_beast · 24 Nov 2010 at 22:18

Been playing with 2.1beta 4 of MSI afterburner and have managed to OC to 1000/1200 on stock voltage, so it underclocks when idle and also drops voltage from 1.172 to 0.945. What it boils down to is cooler idling temps - Obviously, this will only work on single cards as CF keeps the memory clock high.

Black Flag · 3 Dec 2010 at 20:28

How can I bypass 1,3 V limit of MSI afterburner? I also have a Sapphire with XFX BE bios.

dave_beast · 5 Dec 2010 at 03:47

^Andy^ said:
So I guess the answer to the OP is whatever 6870 card you buy should it happen to accidentally get flashed to the XFX BE bios will be the fastest

Question, what app did you use to flash your bios?

Black Flag · 5 Dec 2010 at 14:24

Atiflash for dos version. http://www.octeamdenmark.com/download/doc_details/60-6870flash.html

Sidney James · 5 Dec 2010 at 16:56

terrystar said:
Guys, i've made my mind up. I am going to buy a HD6870. On overclockers site this card looks the fastest.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-190-XF&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=1866

I have seen some 2GB ones on Fleabay but they are from over seas.

Sois this card the best one out there atm? out of the HD6970's

Cheers.

Dude beware of fleabay cards offering lots of memory!,if you read the description some of them count onboard plus system used giving a theoretical 1+1=2gb it's a swizz!. :eek:

dave_beast · 5 Dec 2010 at 19:06

Black Flag said:
Atiflash for dos version. http://www.octeamdenmark.com/download/doc_details/60-6870flash.html

Thanks dude :cool:

Black Flag · 3 Jan 2011 at 08:35

I have two Sapphire 6870's flashed with XFX Black Edition bios, working for 10 days now without issues. Overclocking the clocks to 1000 - 1250 with stock voltage, should be enough and stable?