Another HD7950 or HD7970 thread

Narf · 6 Oct 2012 at 19:29

Hi

I am new to this forum, so bear with me

I got a good secondhand deal with a friend of mine on a Alphacool NexXxoS ATXP ATI 7970/50 Serie V2 gpu block, so now I just need a card to go with it.
I have been looking at the following cards :

Gigabye HD7950 OC windforce x 3

Powercolor HD7970 V2

As far as I can tell the alphacool block will fit on both these cards?
At the store where I buy my hardware there is aprox 55 euro difference between the 2 cards, so please help me decide....

Thanks

Tonester0011 · 6 Oct 2012 at 19:37

Clock for clock there is around 5% difference in performance.
It's down to you if you want to play the lottery or not.

Is 55quid more worth maybe 5-10% extra grunt (possibly more if it doesn't clock as hoped)

Uncle Petey · 6 Oct 2012 at 19:53

Since you're watercooling, just grab a reference 7970/7950 if you see one at a good price.

Narf · 6 Oct 2012 at 19:54

These 2 cards are the cheapest I could find of each series that would fit the gpu block

Uncle Petey · 6 Oct 2012 at 20:01

That block (like most) will fit on any reference 7950/70 pcb.

You'd only be paying more for a non-reference air cooler which you'd be removing anyway.

Narf · 6 Oct 2012 at 20:19

The V2 at the end of the block name just threw me off, so I checked a lot of cards to make sure that the block seemed compatible.

I am leaning towards the gigabyte card because of he 3 year warranty and the lower cost, but I can't make sure that it will oc enough to level the playing field.

Uncle Petey · 6 Oct 2012 at 20:22

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't removing the stock cooler invalidate your warranty?

Narf · 6 Oct 2012 at 20:23

Yes it would, but whos to know :-)

Tonester0011 · 6 Oct 2012 at 20:24

Uncle Petey said:
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't removing the stock cooler invalidate your warranty?

Only if they find out lol.
Some models have stickers over one of the screws. As long as you keep the old cooler, dont tell them and you're fine.

Narf · 6 Oct 2012 at 20:40

I just checked coolingconfigurator and for instance the sapphire ref hd7970 doesn't look compatible with this block?

Uncle Petey · 6 Oct 2012 at 20:48

Which cards are supposed to be compatible?

Narf · 6 Oct 2012 at 20:56

Taken from their website :

Compatible with ATI 7950 and 7970 graphics cards in reference layout V2

Uncle Petey · 6 Oct 2012 at 21:16

Ok, I see the slight difference in board layouts.

Tbh, without being able to put the block next to the board in person, it's difficult to know how it'll fit.
I guess you'll have to carry on checking board layouts and price checking the ones that match the description.
If you can afford it, go for the 7970. If not, you'll still have a great time with a 7950.
Overclocking potential is a lottery so I won't even go there

Narf · 7 Oct 2012 at 21:51

If I look at the boards of the powercolor and gigabyte they both look similar and when compared to the block it looks like it will fit, someone correct me if I am wrong here?

panyan · 7 Oct 2012 at 22:28

Uncle Petey said:
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't removing the stock cooler invalidate your warranty?

depends on the manufacturer

E.g. EVGA dont mind, but then again, i dont know about AMD grpahics card companies

Martini1991 · 7 Oct 2012 at 22:58

Sapphire state it invalidates, but as far as I know they don't use stickers on the screws.
Nor, do I think Asus do.

Tonester0011 · 7 Oct 2012 at 23:02

Martini1991 said:
Sapphire state it invalidates, but as far as I know they don't use stickers on the screws.
Nor, do I think Asus do.

My ref Sapphire 7970 had no stickers. Nor my old 6970.

Uncle Petey · 7 Oct 2012 at 23:06

I took my Sapphire cooler off today as you may have noticed and there weren't stickers or anything.
I reckon the only way they can tell is if they take it off themselves and check that the stupid amount of thermal paste is still there.
Removing/replacing the stock heatsinks is probably a dead giveaway too even if you put them back.
Depends how much they care I guess.

tommybhoy · 7 Oct 2012 at 23:37

Depends who's testing.

I doubt when OcUK sends back 20 gubbed gpu's at a time that the whole lot of them even get tested never mind dismantled to see if someone has taken the cooler off, especially if Roys in the middle of Minecraft.

At the end of the day it all depends on how careful you are in removing the heatsink in the first place(unless it's an XFX job with the void stickers), if you jump in and chew the screws with the wrong sized screwdriver, then you only have yourself to blame.