Reference card?

[Harroc]

Hey guys,
Getting bored of my 6950, plus its running at stupidly high temps under any sort of load (104c). I've been seeing some awesome prices on cards at on the website. I'm looking to get a 7970 as their prices are great and I don't see the point in a r9 280x over it, unless I'm wrong?

Thing is I'm not sure which cards are reference as I will want to water cool and oc and the card needs to be reference for a full water block. Are any of the 7970s on the site reference?

Cheers in advance

Tobias

 

[kefan77]

this is reference card

 

[Avenged7Fold]

If you watercool with EK blocks, then this site is quite handy.

http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/

Just pick any card you want and whack that into the configurator, then all compatible EK blocks will pop up. Even if you don't use EK, any reference full cover blocks which fit it, will mean other reference blocks will.

 

[Harroc]

Thanks guys. Used that configurator and it came back with blocks for the cheapest 7970 on the site, the VTX3D HD 7970 GHZ X-Edition. I figured if I'm gonna water cool and oc, I can get the cheapest card and oc it to the higher speeds of some of the more expensive cards. Hope my theory isn't wrong

Thanks again for the help guys

 

[Avenged7Fold]

Thanks guys. Used that configurator and it came back with blocks for the cheapest 7970 on the site, the VTX3D HD 7970 GHZ X-Edition. I figured if I'm gonna water cool and oc, I can get the cheapest card and oc it to the higher speeds of some of the more expensive cards. Hope my theory isn't wrong

Thanks again for the help guys

It is what many do in most cases. Exceptions are certain special cards which, though you pay the premium for the air cooler, you do have a guarantee higher clock and a modified power design to assist in greater clocks (eg. Matrix platinum cards and the like)

If the 290/290x is cheap, i will grab water ones they release and slap an EK waterblock on it...if they ever release the card .

 

[Harroc]

Thanks again for the input guys.

Just want a second opinion on something quick if that's ok. I'm wondering will there be any major difference between these two cards if i'm going to watercool? Or will i be able to get the same outcome with a £40 price difference (Cheapest 7970 vs cheapest R9 280x, Both come back as taking full VGA blocks on the configuration site)

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-007-VX&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=938

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-091-HS&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=1842

Thanks again