New Sapphire Radeon HD 6870

[kidersxbulwark]

Hello. How is the newer Sapphire HD 6870 compared to the older reference cards? It has a newer fan like their initial HD 6850. (Sapphire 100314-2SR HD6870) Are there any reviews or benchmark comparisons? Should I get it over a HIS reference card?

 

[purple stain]

Their is not really any difference between that card and the reference version.The only difference is that with that specific Saphire version the fan is on top of the heatsink,it may provide a small temp decrease but not by much.And it's an open shell so some of the air is exhausted into the case.

Can you provide links to the cards your looking at?Specificly the HIS version.

 

[kidersxbulwark]

This is the HIS card:
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=hd+6870&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=10900380965225086395&sa=X&ei=irDATc3ROcrTgQeDwrjQBQ&ved=0CHIQ8wIwAQ#

Additionally:
Is there a difference in construction between the normal Sapphire HD6870 (new fan) model and the Toxic version besides the factory overclock? That is, will the standard version work just as well at the Toxic version's clocks?

Toxic Ex. http://www.motherboards.org/content/sapphire-radeon-toxic-hd-6870-1gb-gddr5-review?page=5

EDIT: Then there's the Vapor-X, is that the same thing as the normal model?
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:WH8xQnDLh4wJ:www.techpowerup.com/138882/SAPPHIRE-Announces-HD-6870-TOXIC-and-Vapor-X-Editions.html+sapphire+black+diamond+choke&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a&source=www.google.com

EDIT AGAIN: The cooler looks different.

 

[purple stain]

The Toxic version has an aftermarket cooler and a better fan.Mostly it's made for overclocking because you can acieve a higher O.C. because it has better cooling.

Mainly the only difference bettween them is the Toxic version has better cooling and higher clocks while the reference version just has the fan placement ontop of the heatsink.
If I had to choose I would get the Toxic but I would much rather go with the MSI Twin FrozrII.

I have a XFX 6870 if you wanted to ask more questions in specific about it.

 

[purple stain]

My mistake.Forgot the Toxic isn't O.C.'d i just assumed it was.

The Toxic version has the aftermarket cooler but it's not O.C'd.
The Vapor X version has the same aftermarket cooler but it's O.C.'d.
So the Toxic and Vapor X versions are the one that are not reference and the HIS and other Saphire version are reference.

EDIT:I was right the firs time,but now i made it in reverse.

It is the Toxic version that is O.C'd and the Vapor X version is not but they both use the same Aftermarket cooler.

 

[kidersxbulwark]

Ah, thanks.

If the Sapphire Hd 6870 (non aftermarket) were 10$ less than the HIS card, which one would you buy? Would the exhaust of air into the case cause any problems (in a general sense)? I don't plan to OC.

 

[kidersxbulwark]

Best answer selected by kidersxbulwark.

 

[purple stain]

I would buy the Saphire version,mainly because they pack their box's with lots of extra goodies(cables,adapters etc.)

The air exhausted into the case shouldn't cause a big problem as long as you have good case airflow.It should be fine.

 

[kidersxbulwark]

I would buy the Saphire version,mainly because they pack their box's with lots of extra goodies(cables,adapters etc.)

The air exhausted into the case shouldn't cause a big problem as long as you have good case airflow.It should be fine.

Does this look good? (the case itself, not the PSU etc.)

http://common4.ziffdavisinternet.com/util_get_image/23/0,1425,i=236725&sz=1,00.jpg

http://common7.ziffdavisinternet.com/util_get_image/23/0,1425,i=236731&sz=1,00.jpg

http://common.ziffdavisinternet.com/util_get_image/23/0,,i=236729&sz=1,00.jpg

 

[purple stain]

What about it?

It looks like an hp standard case.I used to have one just an odler model.Their cases are really tiny and offer very little airflow.