Is the Sapphire ATI Radeon HD 6950 more quiet than MSI ATI Radeon HD 6950 Twin FrozR II?

phillai · 29 Jun 2011 at 11:08

Can someone confirm this?
If so, I will buy the Sapphire ATI Radeon HD 6950 2GB Dirt 3 edition?

According to this from tweaktown, it is (until flashed to 6970)...

3900_41_msi_radeon_hd_6950_2gb_twin_frozr_ii_video_card_review.jpg

Yet the video from this link suggests it's quite noisy!
http://www.hardwareheaven.com/revie...rd-review-power-temps-noise-overclocking.html

I'm so confused and not sure which ATI 6950 2GB to buy!

Tealc · 29 Jun 2011 at 11:56

Just watched that video and I'm a little baffled why a dual fan card would need to spin quite as fast as that. You can't really tell what's making all that noise though as it could be some of the other fans in the system blasting away too.

I'm not sure if any 6950 in a dual slot configuration will be really all that quiet.

Go triple slot or aftermarket if you want real quiet operation.

phillai · 29 Jun 2011 at 12:05

Yeah, the sound from that video is really off putting and sounds like my PC right now and that is something I want to avoid.
But like you say, it could be other fans in there.

Anyone else have any opinions on this?

wapcatlet · 29 Jun 2011 at 22:39

Well I ordered the Sapphire 6950 2GB Dirt3 Edition earlier today to replace my slightly noisy Sapphire 4890. I'll post my opinions after I have fitted and tested it some time tomorrow.

phillai · 29 Jun 2011 at 22:58

wapcatlet said:
Well I ordered the Sapphire 6950 2GB Dirt3 Edition earlier today to replace my slightly noisy Sapphire 4890. I'll post my opinions after I have fitted and tested it some time tomorrow.

Please do, thanks!

Believe it or not, in the end I ended up getting the Sapphire 6950 2GB Dirt 3 too but I won't get it till Friday and then it's building time.

slipd · 29 Jun 2011 at 23:32

phillai said:
Please do, thanks!

Believe it or not, in the end I ended up getting the Sapphire 6950 2GB Dirt 3 too but I won't get it till Friday and then it's building time.

Is there quite a lot of difference in noise levels then between the 6950's then? Are they not all more or less the same :confused:

phillai · 30 Jun 2011 at 00:15

sam.wheale said:
Is there quite a lot of difference in noise levels then between the 6950's then? Are they not all more or less the same

That I don't know but I've got a ASUS ATI 5870 in my rig now and the whining/humming is driving me insane hence why I want a much more quieter GPU (for my new PC build)...

slipd · 30 Jun 2011 at 00:18

phillai said:
That I don't know but I've got a ASUS ATI 5870 in my rig now and the whining/humming is driving me insane hence why I want a much more quieter GPU (for my new PC build)...

I've had a look around and there don't seem to be many after market coolers either?

Best to get the right one to start with I guess...

tommybhoy · 30 Jun 2011 at 01:02

sam.wheale said:
I've had a look around and there don't seem to be many after market coolers either?

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?p=19041495&posted=1#post19041495

harmony · 30 Jun 2011 at 01:34

MSI Twin Frozr II is one of the quietest cooler (even quieter than Twin Frozr III). Sapphire Vapor-X used to be the quietest cooler last year.

Not sure about current Sapphire cards.

wapcatlet · 30 Jun 2011 at 09:40

harmony said:
MSI Twin Frozr II is one of the quietest cooler (even quieter than Twin Frozr III). Sapphire Vapor-X used to be the quietest cooler last year.

Not sure about current Sapphire cards.

The Vapor-X was supposed to be relatively quiet but some of the more demanding games (Arma II, Witcher 2) make it sound like I am sitting next to a small vacuum cleaner. Even Rift on ultra settings makes it whine. (Actually it's more of a whoosh!)

Still waiting for my 6950 to arrive. Any time now.... hopefully

danyulland · 30 Jun 2011 at 13:00

Ive got the Twin Frozr III version (oc'ed to 900 core) and its surprinsingly quiet. The default fan profile is a bit dodgy as it idles at 40% then at 60C its goes upto 65% but the temps never goes above 65C at this default profile. I decided to make my own profile and now it idles at 20% (40-42C) and at full load it hits 70C after an hour or so of play but at 50% fan speed.

20% is inaudible, 50% is audible but certainly not what id describe as loud (its a lot quieter then my 260GTX or 4890)

Been very impressed with the cooler as most stock coolers go into high 80's!!!

wapcatlet · 30 Jun 2011 at 16:46

I can't post my opinions on the Dirt3 Edition 9650 because it never arrived. I even booked a day off because Overclockers always deliver on time. They're noted for it.

It was shipped yesterday at 15:30 via DX Secure "Next Day". Well it's so "secure" that not even I am allowed to have it

There is a word which describes exactly how I feel... Anticipointment!

"5UB" in OcUK HQ Customer Services is chasing up DX for me. I really hope it turns up tomorrow.

phillai · 1 Jul 2011 at 03:54

wapcatlet said:
I can't post my opinions on the Dirt3 Edition 9650 because it never arrived. I even booked a day off because Overclockers always deliver on time. They're noted for it.

It was shipped yesterday at 15:30 via DX Secure "Next Day". Well it's so "secure" that not even I am allowed to have it

There is a word which describes exactly how I feel... Anticipointment!

"5UB" in OcUK HQ Customer Services is chasing up DX for me. I really hope it turns up tomorrow.

DOH!

wapcatlet · 1 Jul 2011 at 09:32

DX have no record of it.
OcUK HQ Customer Services saw it being loaded onto the van on the CCTV but think that possibly the label may have dropped off!?!
They are sending another one via DPD for delivery tomorrow (Saturday).
Fingers crossed.

Tealc · 1 Jul 2011 at 09:48

Good old DX Secure.

wapcatlet · 1 Jul 2011 at 10:06

Tealc said:
Good old DX Secure.

Damned annoying that I've wasted 2 days of my annual leave waiting for this card to be delivered.
I can't fault OcUK HQ Customer Services though. They responded quickly and I have already received confirmation that another card has been shipped for delivery tomorrow.

Liquiduk · 1 Jul 2011 at 10:16

wapcatlet said:
Damned annoying that I've wasted 2 days of my annual leave waiting for this card to be delivered.
I can't fault OcUK HQ Customer Services though. They responded quickly and I have already received confirmation that another card has been shipped for delivery tomorrow.

Your not the only one, they messed me about for a week with a headset that was on next day delivery, partly my own fault due to changing the address but all in all it was still a week late.

On topic I am actual considering buying a Sapphire 6950 2GB to replace my noisey HD 5830 and I actually assume the noise level will be very similar.

wapcatlet · 1 Jul 2011 at 10:21

Liquiduk said:
On topic I am actual considering buying a Sapphire 6950 2GB to replace my noisey HD 5830 and I actually assume the noise level will be very similar.

Well the reviews I've read about the Sapphire 6950 2GB Dirt3 Edition show that it's a twin fan cooler (different to the pictures on the Overclockers product page) which runs quiet and cool. So it better not be noisy because I already have a noisy 4890.

phillai · 2 Jul 2011 at 01:58

I can confirm that my Sapphire 6950 2GB Dirt3 Edition that I received today has a twin fan cooler... Not tried it yet though, building this PC is taking longer than I expected!!